Vance to meet Ukraine's Zelenskyy in Munich amid push for NATO allies to step up defense spending

Vice President JD Vance hammered home the United States demand that the NATO alliance step up defense spending on Friday, ahead of a security meeting in Europe at a time of intense concern and uncertainty over the Trump administration's foreign policy.

The future of Ukraine is the top item on the agenda at the Munich Security Conference following a phone call between U.S. President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin this week, when they pledged to work together to end the 3-year-old Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Vance is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Friday for talks that many observers, particularly in Europe, hope will shed at least some light on Trump's ideas for a negotiated settlement to the war.