If you don't want to talk about the difference then I respect that, and I wasn't suggesting that you do. If anything I would suggest avoiding the term "virtue ethics" entirely and instead talking about virtue which is more general and a component of most moral systems.

I disagree that it is splitting hairs though or a small difference. It makes a large whether or not you wish to cultivate virtue for its own sake (regardless or independent of consequence), or because it helps you achieve other goals. The latter makes fewer assumptions about the goals of your reader.