RUSSIA and America swapped veiled nuclear threats yesterday ahead of showdown talks between their two leaders over the war in Ukraine.

At a British air base used by US nuclear bombers, Vice ­President JD Vance warned that peace was only possible if the “bad guys” were afraid of America.

It comes as Russia and the US are considering a West Bank-style occupation of Ukraine to secure a truce, reports say, as Zelensky and Euro leaders hold emergency talks.

Under the sketched plans, Russia would have military and economic control of the occupied parts of Ukraine through a dedicated governing body, reports The Times.

Ukraine’s official borders wouldn’t budge, but the Kremlin would pull the strings in the regions it has swiped.

Witkoff apparently supported the plan, which the Americans believe offers a solution to the Ukrainian law which bans giving up land without a national referendum.

Meanwhile it was announced that joint exercises to be held by Russian and Belarusian troops will include nuclear weapons drills.

The diplomatic war games came as President Donald Trump prepares to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin in US state Alaska tomorrow.

Mr Trump yesterday warned there would be “very severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to a ceasefire.

He spoke out after a video call with European leaders including Ukraine’s President ­Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Europe’s political chiefs also vowed to hit tyrant Putin with more sanctions if talks fail.

Mr Vance, in Britain on holiday, yesterday addressed US airmen at RAF Fairford, Gloucs.

The base is routinely used as a staging post by US nuclear bombers.

He said: “It’s impossible to bring peace anywhere unless the bad guys are worried that we’ve got a hell of a fine air force and a hell of a fine military to back up the peace to begin with.

“You make it possible for us to accomplish the President’s goals through negotiation.

“You make it possible for us to go into a room and say, ‘Yes, we want peace, yes we want to work together, yes we want to bring an end to this terrible conflict but we’ve also got some great airmen’.

“The fact that people are afraid of you is why we’re able to do what we do as an administration.”

A British defence source said last night: “It’s the big stick theory. It is deterrence — don’t f*** with me because I will f*** you more.

“If we can’t get that message over, then we fail.”

Peace isn’t possible unless the bad guys fear you’ve got hell of a military

JD Vance

Mr Vance’s warnings came as Belarus announced it will hold joint nuclear drills with Russia.

Defence minister Viktor Khrenin said its troops would train for the deployment of nuclear weapons.

Khrenin said the drills were “predominantly strategic deterrence” but added: “We should be ready for everything.”

President Trump has downplayed expectations of a breakthrough, saying his meeting with Putin was simply to get the lie of the land.

He also touted the possibility of a second meeting to include Mr Zelensky, who has been frozen out of the peace talks.

Mr Zelensky, who was in Berlin for the video conference yesterday, warned that Putin was bluffing over peace after Russian military advances in eastern Ukraine.

Mr Zelensky insisted America, Ukraine and allies all want “peace in Ukraine, peace in Europe”.

Putin doesn’t want peace — he wants to occupy our country

Zelensky

But he declared: “Putin is bluffing, he is trying to push forward along the whole front.

“Putin doesn’t want peace — he wants to occupy our country.”

And he repeated calls for more economic pressure on Moscow, saying: “In reality, the sanctions are very effective, and they’re hurting the Russian military economy.”

But Moscow’s foreign ministry warned “any attempts on our property will result in a painful response”.

Europe’s “coalition of the willing” has demanded a ceasefire, stronger sanctions and “robust and credible security guarantees” that Ukraine will not lose any territory.

But Russia wants to keep land it has seized to end the conflict.

In a statement Sir Keir later insisted the UK’s support for Ukraine is “unwavering”.

He has previously vowed to send British peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

His spokesman said Europe’s leaders thanked President Trump for his “efforts in bringing Putin to the table in pursuit of a ceasefire to end to the ongoing bloodshed”.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe and America must “increase the pressure” on Russia if peace talks fail.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte said “the ball is now in Putin’s court”.

But Mr Trump’s former National Security Advisor John Bolton reckoned inviting Putin to the US was “a great victory” for the tyrant.

He said: “He’s a rogue leader of a pariah state and he’s going to be welcomed into the United States.”