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Trump has made clear he is determined to find a resolution. On Saturday morning, he announced that he had already spoken with Zelensky, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and several European heads of state ahead of Monday’s meetings. “President Zelensky will be at the White House tomorrow,” Trump confirmed.
The meeting will bring together some of the most powerful leaders in the Western alliance. Alongside Zelensky, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will all join Trump in Washington.
Adding to the intrigue, Trump has hinted that he may attempt a trilateral summit later this week involving himself, Zelensky, and Putin—an unprecedented move if it materializes.
But Pence, in his CNN appearance, warned Trump not to rely solely on diplomacy. He demanded that the President “pick up the phone and ask Majority Leader John Thune to immediately pass the secondary sanctions bill.” Pence added: “Putin only understands strength. So, while the President and his diplomatic team engage in this re-approach with Putin, and there seems to be interest, in my judgment, Putin’s not going to stop until he stopped.”
The push for secondary sanctions, however, is not without controversy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued Sunday that such measures could derail the administration’s careful balancing act, signaling that Washington might be “walking away from any prospect of a negotiated settlement here.”
Despite Pence’s criticism, the Trump administration appears committed to using both tough talk and high-stakes diplomacy. The President believes that personal engagement with adversaries—something he has long championed—could deliver results the establishment in Washington has repeatedly failed to achieve.
During his CNN interview, Pence doubled down:
“You know, I served alongside the president for four years. I know his style in dealing with these dictators. It’s the velvet glove, but I think the hammer needs to come, and it needs to come immediately. I think the President, as he welcomes President Zelensky to the Oval Office tomorrow and a whole cast of our allies in Europe that are going to be joining him, I think at the same time, he ought to pick up the phone and ask Majority Leader John Thune to to immediately pass the secondary sanctions bill that is supported by virtually everyone in the United States Senate.”
Pence also pointed to Russia’s long track record of aggression under previous administrations. He reminded viewers that Putin “launched an attack into Georgia when President Bush was in office” and “attacked Crimea in Ukraine when Obama was in office.”
He went further, linking Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to what he called Joe Biden’s catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. “After that disastrous withdrawal in Afghanistan, he crossed the border and started this war three years ago,” Pence said.
Pence concluded with a blunt assessment of Putin’s intentions: “Putin has made it no secret of the fact that he wants to reassert the old Soviet sphere of influence, what we used to call the evil empire in Eastern Europe, and I think Putin only understands strength. So, while the President and his diplomatic team engage in this re-approach with Putin, and there seems to be interest, in my judgment, Putin’s not going to stop until he stopped.”
As Trump prepares for one of the most consequential weeks of his presidency, Pence’s remarks underscore the growing divide among Republicans over how best to confront Russia. Will Trump’s gamble on face-to-face diplomacy work—or will Pence’s demand for an iron fist prove right?
