US Will Abandon Ukraine Peace Push if No Progress is Made, Trump and Rubio Warn

The U.S. is prepared to end its efforts to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine if significant progress isn’t seen soon, U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made clear on Friday. Both leaders emphasized the urgency of the situation, signaling that time is running out for any meaningful diplomatic breakthrough.

“We want to get it done quickly,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “If one of the parties makes it too difficult, we’re just going to say, ‘you’re foolish, you’re horrible people, and we’re going to walk away.’ But hopefully, we won’t have to do that.”

Rubio echoed Trump’s sentiment, stressing that there’s only a matter of days to show signs of progress. “We’re not going to continue with this effort for weeks or months. We need to determine very quickly, in a matter of days, if this can be done in the next few weeks,” Rubio said from Paris after meeting with European and Ukrainian leaders. “If it’s not possible, if we’re too far apart, then the president will probably say, ‘we’re done.’”

While both Trump and Rubio refrained from giving a concrete deadline, their remarks reflected a growing sense of impatience within the White House over the lack of progress in peace talks.

When asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s role in the process, Trump remained hopeful but cautious. “I hope not,” he said when asked if Putin was stalling negotiations.

In recent weeks, U.S. officials have quietly acknowledged that a swift peace deal in Ukraine is becoming increasingly unlikely. Rubio’s frustration, as reported by three European diplomats, mirrors the rising discontent within the White House over Moscow’s unwillingness to engage in meaningful peace discussions.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, however, indicated that Russia believes some progress had been made in peace talks but acknowledged that communication with Washington remains difficult. Peskov reiterated Russia’s commitment to resolving the conflict while protecting its interests and stated that Moscow is still open to dialogue with the U.S.

Adding to the tension, U.S. officials were reportedly frustrated by comments made earlier this week by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy had accused Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, of “spreading Russian narratives,” a move that U.S. officials felt undermined the peace process.

As the clock ticks on the potential for a peace deal, both sides seem to be at an impasse, with the U.S. making it clear that continued talks will only be possible if both Russia and Ukraine demonstrate a genuine willingness to compromise. Time will tell whether the next few days will bring any movement toward peace or if the U.S. will pull back from the negotiating table.