US Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that Washington has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state. He made the statement during a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy in Kent.
Before their talks, Vance responded to questions from reporters about the UK’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood in September if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Vance said he was unsure what recognition would mean “given the lack of a functional government there.” He added, “If it was easy to bring peace to that region of the world, it would have been done already.”
The meeting took place as the US and UK continue to debate the best way to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The UK is also working to secure better terms for its steel and aluminium exports to the US. Both sides are preparing the details of a broader trade deal announced in late June.
Russia, Ukraine, and Trump’s Deadline
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hopes to meet US President Donald Trump next week. His comment came after Trump set a deadline for Moscow to show it is serious about ending the three-year war in Ukraine.
Trump is focused on direct talks with Putin. However, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders insist that Ukraine must be part of any peace negotiations.
Although the US and UK share a close alliance known as “the special relationship,” they disagree on how to resolve the conflict in Gaza.
Vance and Lammy come from different political backgrounds but have built a personal friendship based on their shared Christian faith and tough childhoods.
Lammy is a member of the left-leaning Labour Party, while Vance is a conservative Republican who supports Trump’s “America First” agenda. Despite their differences, the two men have grown close in recent months.
Friendship Across Political Lines
Lammy told The Guardian newspaper that he and Vance connect through their “dysfunctional” working-class upbringings. He described Vance as a “friend.”
Lammy attended Catholic Mass at Vance’s home in Washington earlier this year. They met again at the US Embassy in Rome during Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in May.
Lammy said, “I had this great sense that JD completely relates to me and he completely relates to Angela,” referring to his wife. He called their time together “a wonderful hour and a half.”
When asked if Trump was aware of Israel’s plan to occupy Gaza City, Vance said he could not disclose such discussions.
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