Russian State TV Lauds JD Vance as 'Trumpier Than Trump'

In a recent broadcast, Russian state television host Olga Skabeyeva praised JD Vance as Donald Trump's choice for vice president, describing the 39-year-old Ohio senator as "Trumpier than Trump."

Trump made the announcement about Vance on Monday through a post on Truth Social. He highlighted that Vance would be "strongly focused on the people he fought so brilliantly for, the American Workers and Farmers in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, and far beyond."

This announcement followed closely on the heels of an assassination attempt on Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump sustained a gunshot wound to the ear, and a rally attendee was killed. Initially, Trump planned to postpone his trip to the Republican National Convention by two days but eventually decided to stick to his original schedule. He arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday and is set to deliver the keynote address on Thursday evening.

The news of Vance's vice presidential nomination has sent shockwaves through Europe, with a senior European Union official describing it as a "disaster" for Ukraine, according to a report by Politico. Conversely, Russian state television has been celebrating the pick.

"People are saying JD Vance is Trumpier than Trump," Skabeyeva remarked during the broadcast. "If Donald Trump is assassinated, another Trump would remain."

In the translated segment shared on YouTube by Russian Media Monitor, Skabeyeva reviewed Vance's previous statements on Ukraine, noting that Vance is "known as a consistent opponent of funding the Kyiv regime" and has repeatedly stated that "Washington is too preoccupied with Ukraine."

In a 2022 podcast interview, Vance expressed his indifference towards Ukraine's fate, saying, "I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other."

Skabeyeva also featured a clip from CNN's State of the Union in which Vance suggested, "What's in America's best interest is to accept [that] Ukraine is going to have to cede some territory to the Russians, and we need to bring this war to a close."

Skabeyeva speculated that if Trump were to win the election and return to the White House, Vance might adopt an even more skeptical stance on Ukraine, citing a Bloomberg report.

Despite his critical views on Ukraine, Vance has been banned from visiting Russia by the Russian foreign ministry. 

Newsweek reported that Vance was among nearly 50 members of Congress who were added to a list of lawmakers banned from entering Russia in retaliation for U.S. sanctions imposed on Moscow.

Interestingly, Vance has not shied away from criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin. On February 23, 2022, just a day before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he referred to Putin as an "evil man."