NEW YORK, February 25. /TASS/. The United States is making progress in negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis with both Russia and the authorities in Kiev, and US President Donald Trump is optimistic about the prospects of ending the conflict, US Vice President JD Vance has stated in an interview with Fox News.

"I think we’re making progress with both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and we’re just going to keep working at it. Right now [US] President [Donald Trump] has some good optimism that we can bring this thing to a successful close," Vance explained.

The US vice president also noted that the US administration is continuing diplomatic efforts to bring the negotiations to a point at which both Russia and Ukraine will consider their objectives sufficiently achieved and bring the conflict to an end.

"We’re under no illusions that these guys are going to meet in the middle of a field, give each other a hug and sing Kumbaya. That’s why we’re engaged in the diplomacy that we are engaged in. We are optimistic that we can get to a point where both the Russians and the Ukrainians feel they’ve accomplished enough of what they need to to bring the killing to a stop. That’s what [US] President [Donald Trump] has set us out to do," Vance said.