Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Friday that the US would “move on” from trying to broker a Russia-Ukraine peace deal within days – unless there’s clear signs an agreement to end fighting can be reached.
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavor for weeks and months on end,” Rubio said after landmark meetings in Paris with European and Ukrainian leaders amid the Trump admin’s ongoing efforts to spearhead a ceasefire deal.
“So we need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks.”
“If it’s not possible, if we’re so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think [President Trump] is probably at a point where he’s going to say, ‘well, we’re done’,” he added.
Rubio’s warning came amid signs of some progress in US talks with Ukraine – and signaled growing frustration within the White House over Russia’s apparent stalling to end the war.
“It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on,” Rubio said.
“The president feels very strongly about that. He has dedicated a lot of time and energy to this … this is important, but there are a lot of other really important things going on that deserves just as much, if not more attention.”
Trump vowed during his presidential campaign to immediately broker a deal to end the three-year war as soon as he took back the White House.
He has since pressured both sides to come to the negotiating table, threatening tougher sanctions on Russia or an end to billions of dollars in US military support for Kyiv.
After the meetings in Paris – the first substantive, high level and in-person talks on Trump’s peace push that have included European powers – Rubio said a US peace framework received an “encouraging reception.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office called the talks constructive and positive.
When asked about Rubio’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday that “fairly complex” negotiations are ongoing between Russia and the US.
“Russia is striving toward resolving this conflict, securing its own interests, and is open to dialogue. We are continuing to do this,” he said.
He did not give details but said no direct talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled in the coming days.
Rubio, meanwhile, said he’d spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and briefed him on elements of the US peace framework.
Putin has previously said he wants Ukraine to drop its NATO ambitions, permanently cede to Russia the four regions it has lost and limit the size of its army.
Kyiv, however, has argued those demands are tantamount to demanding its capitulation.
Rubio said Friday it was clear that a peace deal would be difficult to strike but there needed to be signs it could be done soon.
It comes after Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff revealed earlier in the week that his recent high-stakes talks with Putin were “compelling” — and insisted the Russian leader was open to a “permanent peace” deal with Ukraine.
“I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large,” Witkoff told Fox News’ Sean Hannity – despite him returning from last week’s talks empty handed.
“This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there’s so much more to it,” he said, referencing the eastern flank of Ukraine that Russia wants to annex.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Puti, Rubio’s remarks came as the US and Ukraine neared a long-delayed deal granting the United States access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources – a move that’s been intertwined with Trump’s peace push.
“We have a minerals deal,” Trump declared Thursday.
Ukraine’s economy minister said Friday that the two countries signed a memorandum of intent ahead of a possible fuller agreement later.
With Post wires
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Rubio warns US will ‘move on’ from trying to broker Russia-Ukraine peace deal unless progress is made – New York Post
