U.S. President Donald Trump is prepared to abandon efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine unless meaningful progress is made within days, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.
Speaking in Paris following talks with European and Ukrainian officials, Rubio emphasized the urgency of the situation. “We’re not going to drag this out for weeks or months. We need to determine—within days—whether a deal is possible in the near term,” he said.
“If both sides remain too far apart, the president is likely to decide it’s time to walk away,” Rubio added.
European capitals and Kyiv have yet to publicly respond to Rubio’s remarks, though diplomatic sources told Reuters his comments reflect growing frustration in Washington over Moscow’s lack of flexibility.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged that some progress had been made but described communication with the U.S. as challenging. He said Russia remains open to talks but insists any resolution must align with its strategic interests.
Signs of Movement Amid Growing Frustration
Despite Rubio’s warning, U.S. discussions with Ukraine appear to be yielding some results. President Trump said Thursday he expects to finalize a minerals deal with Kyiv next week, following a failed attempt in February after a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance.
Thursday’s talks in Paris marked the first in-person, high-level peace discussions involving European powers. Rubio described the reception to the U.S. peace framework as “encouraging,” while Zelensky’s office called the talks “constructive and positive.”
Still, Rubio’s sharp tone the following day highlighted mounting impatience within the White House over stalled diplomatic progress.
During his campaign, Trump vowed to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. Since then, he’s walked that promise back, aiming instead for a deal by April or May.
Trump has pressured both sides to negotiate, warning of tougher sanctions on Russia and a potential halt to U.S. military aid to Ukraine. While U.S.-led talks in Saudi Arabia achieved a partial ceasefire, no broader agreement has emerged.
The conflict continues, with a recent Russian missile strike on Sumy killing 35 civilians—an incident Trump labeled a “mistake.”
Analysts warn that if the U.S. withdraws from peace negotiations, the entire process could collapse, as no other country wields comparable leverage over both Moscow and Kyiv.
The future of U.S. involvement remains uncertain. Washington could either maintain its current strategy—sanctions and military aid—or take more drastic steps, such as suspending support for Ukraine altogether.
Russian Demands and European Sanctions
Rubio said he spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the Paris talks, briefing him on parts of the U.S. proposal.
Russia’s demands include Ukraine renouncing its NATO ambitions, Moscow retaining full control over four occupied Ukrainian regions, and Ukraine reducing the size of its military—conditions Kyiv considers unacceptable and equivalent to surrender.
Rubio also noted that European sanctions on Russia—beyond Washington’s control—would likely have to be lifted as part of any peace agreement. He said European nations have a critical role to play in this regard.
Security guarantees for Ukraine were also discussed, with Rubio suggesting that a mutually acceptable arrangement could be reached, but warned that many major issues remain unresolved.
“We’re not expecting a peace deal in 12 hours,” he said. “But we do need to see whether progress is feasible in the short term. If not, we’ll have to move on.”
Vice President Vance ‘Optimistic’ About Ending the War
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance expressed optimism about ending the war during meetings in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, following earlier talks in Washington.
“We believe we have some promising developments in the negotiations, even within the last 24 hours,” Vance told reporters.
While he refrained from revealing specifics, Vance said he was hopeful the brutal conflict could soon be brought to an end.
