President Donald Trump said on Friday that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are “coming to a head,” and stressed that neither side is “playing” him in his efforts to bring the conflict to an end, reports Breaking News.
His remarks came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated earlier in the day that the United States might “move on” from attempts to negotiate peace between Russia and Ukraine if no progress is made in the near future, following months of stalled efforts.
“Now, if for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say you’re foolish. You are fools, you horrible people,” Trump said, reports Breaking News.
“And we’re going to just take a pass. But hopefully, we won’t have to do that.”
Mr Rubio’s pessimistic take on the peace process followed significant talks held in Paris involving officials from the US, Ukraine, and Europe. These talks led to some early outlines of a peace plan and hinted at possible forward movement, reports Breaking News.
A follow-up meeting is scheduled for next week in London, and Mr Rubio suggested that it could be critical in determining whether the Trump administration remains involved.
“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters in Paris, reports Breaking News.
“Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on. It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on.”
He said the US is aiming to reach a decision “in a matter of days”.
According to the State Department, Mr Rubio repeated the same point in a phone call Friday with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, warning that “if a clear path to peace does not emerge soon, the United States will step back from efforts to broker peace”, reports Breaking News.
Mr Trump agreed with Rubio’s view that negotiations need a change in direction, but he didn’t go as far as to say the US would abandon the peace process.
“Well, I don’t want to say that,” Mr Trump said. “But we want to see it end,” reports Breaking News.
Rubio’s comments added pressure on both Russia and Ukraine to move closer to a peace agreement, even as the US and Ukraine advanced discussions on a minerals deal. This deal is seen as part of Mr Trump’s goal to recover some of the billions spent in military aid to Kyiv since Russia’s full invasion in February 2022.
The developments also highlight that achieving a lasting truce will be a slow and difficult process, even as Mr Trump has frequently claimed during his campaign that he could end the war in just one day, reports Breaking News.
Mr Trump stated last month that he was “being a little bit sarcastic”.
Following the talks in Paris, US officials are prepared to use a mix of incentives and pressure to deal with Russia. They also recognize the need for a “relationship of force that allows them to get commitments from both sides,” according to a French diplomat who attended the talks but was not allowed to speak publicly, reports Breaking News.
There were discussions between the US and European officials on sanctions, though “not the question of easing sanctions” on Russia. The diplomat emphasized that the European Union must utilize “all instruments at our disposition,” particularly to maintain leverage over Russia and ensure follow-through on any agreements.
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance expressed a more optimistic outlook during a visit to Rome on Friday, ahead of a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reports Breaking News.
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