<div class="cs-entry__header cs-entry__header-simple cs-video-wrap"> <div class="cs-entry__header-inner"> <div class="cs-entry__header-info"> <h1 class="cs-entry__title"><span>After public criticism, former Ukraine volunteer Nate Vance meets with cousin VP JD Vance at White House</span></h1> <div class="cs-entry__subtitle"> Nate Vance, who participated in battles for Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk while serving in Ukraine, says he remains skeptical about peace negotiations with Russia despite reconciling with his cousin, Vice President JD Vance. </div> <div class="cs-entry__post-meta"><div class="cs-meta-author"><a class="cs-meta-author-inner url fn n" href="https://euromaidanpress.com/author/mariatril/" title="View all posts by Maria Tril"><span class="cs-photo"></span><span class="cs-by">by</span><span class="cs-author">Maria Tril</span></a></div><div class="cs-meta-date">25/04/2025</div><div class="cs-meta-reading-time"><span class="cs-meta-icon"><i class="cs-icon cs-icon-clock"></i></span>3 minute read</div></div> </div> <figure class="cs-entry__post-media post-media"> <img width="100%" height="auto" src="https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JD-vance-e1745600322804.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="JD vance" style="max-width: 100%" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JD-vance-e1745600322804.jpg 768w, https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JD-vance-e1745600322804-300x287.jpg 300w, https://euromaidanpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/JD-vance-e1745600322804-380x364.jpg 380w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"> </figure> <figcaption class="cs-entry__caption-text wp-caption-text"> Nate Vance, cousin of the US Vice President JD Vance. Credit: Vance via X </figcaption> </div> </div> <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/04/25/after-public-criticism-former-ukraine-volunteer-nate-vance-meets-with-cousin-vp-jd-vance-at-white-house/">After public criticism, former Ukraine volunteer Nate Vance meets with cousin VP JD Vance at White House</a> <div class="cs-entry__wrap"> <div class="cs-entry__container"> <div class="cs-entry__content-wrap"> <div class="entry-content"> <p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">Nate Vance, the cousin of US Vice President JD Vance who fought alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia, has opened up about his recent meeting with the vice president, German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin reported on 25 April.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">During their meeting, Nate was dressed casually, prompting journalists to ask whether this was a deliberate show of solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had been criticized for not wearing a suit during a controversial White House meeting.</p>
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<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words"><em>“I asked JD: ‘Hey, I don’t want to sound cynical, but I don’t have a suit. Is that a problem?’ He replied: ‘Don’t worry, just come in. We have visitors all the time,'”</em> Nate Vance <a href="https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Cousin-von-JD-Vance-sieht-keine-friedliche-Loesung-mit-Putin-USA-muessen-ihren-Weg-mit-Gewalt-erzwingen-article25725323.html" target="_blank">told</a> the German publication.</p>
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<p class="my-0">Nate Vance publicly criticized his cousin, US Vice President JD Vance, over US policy toward Ukraine and JD’s treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a high-profile Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump</p>
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<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">According to Nate, his cousin understands why Zelenskyy doesn’t wear suits and doesn’t consider it disrespectful. He suggested the <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2025/02/28/zelenskyy-exits-white-house-early-after-tense-exchange-with-trump-over-ukraine-war/" target="_blank">“performance” in the Oval Office</a> was “directed at someone who wasn’t in the room” – possibly Russian leader Vladimir Putin.</p><div class="code-block code-block-17">
  
 </div> <p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">Nate Vance fought in Ukraine for nearly three years with the Da Vinci Wolves battalion, participating in battles for Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk before leaving military service in early January, shortly before his cousin’s inauguration as vice president.</p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">The former US Marine made headlines in March when he publicly criticized the Trump administration’s approach to Ukraine, telling French newspaper Le Figaro<em>: “Donald Trump and my cousin apparently believe they can appease Vladimir Putin. They are wrong.”</em></p>
<p class="whitespace-pre-wrap break-words">Following their meeting, Nate said he now feels “more confident” but isn’t interested in quarreling with his cousin.<em style="font-size: revert">“</em><em style="font-size: revert">JD is an independent man. We can have different opinions. I don’t always have to understand him, it’s his life,”</em><span style="font-size: revert"> he said.</span></p>
<blockquote><p><em>“I am certain the Russians will convince the US government that they don’t want peace,”</em> he expressed skepticism about negotiations with Russia, adding: <em>“I cannot predict the future of American foreign policy based on lunch with the vice president.”</em></p></blockquote>
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Nate Vance, who participated in battles for Kupiansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Pokrovsk while serving in Ukraine, says he remains skeptical about peace negotiations with Russia despite reconciling with his cousin, Vice President JD Vance.{ai:summary}<p>Nate Vance, a former volunteer in Ukraine and cousin to Vice President JD Vance, met with his cousin at the White House following public criticism of U.S. policy towards Ukraine. Despite their reconciliation, Nate remains skeptical about peace negotiations with Russia.</p><p>Nate, who fought alongside Ukrainian forces, expressed concerns about the U.S. approach to Russia and emphasized differing opinions within family dynamics. He indicated that he feels more confident after the meeting but does not foresee a shift in U.S. foreign policy based on their discussion. #foreignaffairs</p>