Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has praised Donald Trump’s pick for his vice-presidential running mate, JD Vance, over his stance on the war in Ukraine. This has been launched by Moscow more than two years ago.

Mr Vance, a senator from Ohio, was in favour of peace and an end to military aid for Ukraine, Mr Lavrov said at the UN in New York on Thursday, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

“We can only welcome this because it is exactly what is needed to stop inflaming Ukraine with weapons. The war will be over. We will start looking for solutions,’’ Mr Lavrov said.

The U.S. has been the biggest supplier of weapons to Ukraine to help Kyiv repel the full-scale Russian invasion launched on February 24, 2022.

However, there have been concerns among Washington’s NATO allies that U.S. support might be scaled back significantly if November’s presidential election returns Mr Trump to the White House.

It is because they doubt his willingness to support Ukraine’s war effort.

Mr Lavrov said he had heard that Mr Vance was in favour of stopping arms deliveries to Ukraine and was committed to finding a solution to the war in Ukraine.

Mr Vance, a former fierce critic of Trump, has since wholeheartedly embraced him and is considered a rising star in the Republican Party.

He often rails against U.S. aid provided to Kyiv and voted against a $61-billion aid package for Ukraine approved by the Senate in April.

Just days before the war broke out, Mr Vance stated, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.’’

Mr Trump, who was officially nominated as the Republican Party’s official presidential candidate on Monday, has repeatedly claimed he would be able to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours.

However, he did not provide details of how he would achieve that goal. 

(dpa/NAN)