President Trump signals potential U.S. exit from Russia-Ukraine mediation; Secretary of State Rubio warns resolution must emerge “within days”
Washington DC [US], April 19: In a bold statement on Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the United States might abandon its role in mediating a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine if negotiations continue to be unproductive.
“If, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say, ‘You’re foolish, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re just going to take a pass,” Trump said, according to CNN.
Despite his tough words, Trump remained cautiously optimistic about a resolution, saying, “I think we have a really good chance of getting it done. It’s coming to a head right now.”
Trump’s comments followed those of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who earlier this week signaled that the U.S. might reconsider its involvement in peace efforts if there’s no immediate progress.
Speaking in Paris after high-level talks with European, Ukrainian, and Russian officials, Rubio emphasized the urgency of the situation:
“We need to determine very quickly now — and I’m talking about a matter of days — whether or not this is doable.”
Rubio, alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff, held multiple discussions aimed at brokering a settlement to the long-standing war. However, he acknowledged growing frustration within the Trump administration.
“If it’s not possible, if we’re so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think the president is probably at a point where he’s going to say we’re done. It’s not our war. We didn’t start it,” Rubio said.
He further stated that Trump has invested 87 days in top-level diplomatic efforts to end the war, and the administration is nearing a critical decision point.
“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not. That’s why we’re engaging both sides,” Rubio added.
While the U.S. has been a key ally of Ukraine throughout the war, these recent developments suggest a shift in Washington’s diplomatic posture under Trump’s leadership, potentially marking a turning point in America’s role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.