The United States will cease trying to mediate a Russia-Ukraine peace deal in a few days, unless there are clear signs that an agreement can be reached, American Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday.
Speaking in Paris after meeting with European and Ukrainian leaders, Marco Rubio stated that President Donald Trump is still interested in a deal, but has many other priorities in the world and is willing to move on if there are no signs of progress, Reuters reports.
"We need to determine in the coming days whether peace is feasible or not, and if it is not possible, we need to move on," as "the United States has other priorities," he said at Le Bourget airport in Paris before boarding the plane.
"We will not continue this effort for weeks and months on end. Therefore, we need to determine very quickly now, and I mean a matter of days, whether this is achievable or not in the next few weeks. If yes, we are engaged. If not, then we need to focus on other priorities," Rubio said, clarifying that Trump is still interested in a deal but is ready to move on if there are no immediate signs of progress.
Marco Rubio believes that London, Paris, and Berlin could help and make things progress. "I think the United Kingdom, France, and Germany can help us, can make things move forward, and can bring us closer to a resolution. I found their ideas very useful and constructive," he said.
Negotiations are stagnating
The American diplomacy chief was in Paris on Thursday for the first discussions on Ukraine involving Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians, at a time when the ceasefire negotiations initiated by Washington are stalling, and the Europeans want to assert their voice.
President Emmanuel Macron welcomed on X a "positive and constructive discussion" on Ukraine, stating that "the same desire for peace" is shared by all participants in the discussions, more than three years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
"Discussions will continue next week in London," he announced. "Coordination among allies is crucial," Macron emphasized, at a time when Europeans fear being sidelined in negotiations in the coming weeks.
"What is new (...) is that today, in Paris, the United States, Ukraine, and the Europeans gathered around the same table" to discuss ways to achieve "a fair and lasting peace," also highlighted French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot in a brief speech.
Trump promised during his election campaign to end the war in his first 24 hours in the White House. He moderated this statement upon taking office, suggesting an agreement by April or May as obstacles increased.
Rubio's comments underscore the growing frustrations over the lack of progress in efforts to address an increasingly long list of geopolitical challenges, Reuters comments.