If Russia-Ukraine deal doesn't work out in a few weeks...: US' ultimatum
US President Trump may abandon peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine if no progress is made within days, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
US President Donald Trump is prepared to abandon efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine within days if no clear progress is seen, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.
“We’re not going to drag this out for weeks or months,” Rubio stated during a visit to Paris, following talks with European and Ukrainian officials. “We need to decide quickly - within days - whether a deal is achievable in the coming weeks. If it is, we’re committed. If not, we’ll shift our focus to other priorities.”
While Rubio emphasized that Trump still supports reaching a deal, he made it clear the administration is ready to move on if talks remain stalled.
Trump, who pledged during his campaign to end the war within 24 hours of taking office, later revised his timeline, suggesting a resolution could come by April or May. However, efforts have faced significant setbacks.
Rubio’s remarks reflect growing frustration within the administration over the slow progress on resolving this and other global challenges.
France hosted high-level talks Thursday to discuss Ukraine and its security, the first time since President Donald Trump’s inauguration that top American, Ukrainian and European officials are known to have met together to discuss an end to the war. The meetings came as European concerns grow about Trump’s readiness to draw closer to Russia.
Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff have helped lead U.S. efforts to seek peace. Several rounds of negotiations have been held in Saudi Arabia. Witkoff has met three times with Putin, Rubio said.
Moscow has effectively refused to accept a comprehensive ceasefire that Trump has pushed and Ukraine has endorsed. Russia has made it conditional on a halt in Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and Western arms supplies, which are demands rejected by Ukraine.
