Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been accused of using “absurd” rhetoric by US Vice President JD Vance, who warned it was “not productive” to suggest the United States was siding with Russia — even as he confirmed the United Kingdom is now “at the front of the queue” for a landmark trade agreement with Washington.

In his first in-depth interview with a European outlet since taking office, Mr Vance pushed back hard on recent criticism from Mr Zelensky, who accused him of “somehow justifying” Russia’s 2022 invasion. Mr Vance said: “I think it’s sort of absurd for Zelensky to tell the American Government, which is currently keeping his entire Government and war effort together, that we are somehow on the side of the Russians. That kind of rhetoric is certainly not productive.”

He added: “We’re not on anybody’s side. We’re on America’s side.”

The intervention comes amid growing friction between Kyiv and senior figures in President Donald Trump’s administration, with pressure mounting to reassess long-term military and financial commitments to Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Mr Vance confirmed the UK’s strong defence credentials — and close alignment with US strategic interests — had helped elevate it above other European nations in the push for a trade deal.

He said: “We’re certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer’s government on a trade deal.”

Describing the transatlantic relationship, he added: “The President really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very important relationship. I think there’s a good chance that, yes, we’ll come to a great agreement that’s in the best interest of both countries.”

Mr Vance also emphasised the UK’s distinctive position in contrast to what he described as a broader failure by European governments to invest in their own security.

Speaking to UnHerd, he said: “The British are an obvious exception” to what he sees as a wider trend.

He added: “Most European nations don’t have militaries that can provide for their reasonable defence. We very much see Europe as our ally. We just want it to be an alliance where Europeans are a little more independent, and our security and trade relationships are gonna reflect that.”

He also made it clear that frustrations within the White House extend beyond defence spending, accusing European leaders of consistently ignoring their own voters on key policy issues.

He said: “We’re very frustrated — ‘we’ meaning me, the President, certainly the entire Trump administration — that European populations keep on crying out for more sensible economic and migration policies, and the leaders of Europe keep on going through these elections and keep on offering the European peoples the opposite of what they seem to have voted for.

“The entire democratic project of the West falls apart when the people keep on asking for less migration, and they keep on being rewarded by their leaders with more migration.”

Mr Vance’s remarks follow President Trump's unveiling of a sweeping new tariff package on April 2—branded “Liberation Day” by supporters—which includes a 10% blanket tariff on most foreign imports and a 145% levy on Chinese goods.

Analysts have warned that the measures could trigger a major escalation in global trade tensions. Still, Mr Vance rejected such concerns, insisting the administration was acting to restore fairness and resilience.

He said: “This is about building long-term resilience. The President has been very clear — we’re not trying to punish our allies. But we can’t keep sacrificing American workers to preserve a global system that isn’t working for us anymore.

“If the price of restoring American manufacturing is that some of our trading partners need to make adjustments, then that’s a cost we’re willing to accept.”

He also doubled down on earlier criticism of NATO, having previously drawn controversy for remarks made at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, in which he warned the United States would no longer serve as Europe’s “permanent security vassal”.

Those concerns remain unchanged.

He said: “Most European nations simply don’t take defence seriously. The United States cannot be the only grown-up in the room forever. This is not about abandoning Europe but making the alliance work properly.”

Mr Vance’s comments came just hours after President Zelensky addressed the issue of military mobilisation in Ukraine.

In a press conference on April 14, Mr Zelensky said he did not see the need to mobilise 500,000 additional troops despite earlier proposals from Ukraine's military leadership. He said such a large-scale mobilisation would be costly and stressed that the funds would have to come from Ukraine’s own budget, not from international partners.

He also emphasised the importance of rest and rotation for soldiers who have been fighting since the start of the war, adding that justice for long-serving troops must be prioritised.