US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is prepared to stop mediating peace talks between Russia and Ukraine if there are no clear signals in the coming days that a deal is possible, Reuters reported on April 18, 2025, citing Rubio's remarks after a meeting with European and Ukrainian officials in Paris. The statement reflects growing impatience in the Donald Trump administration, which is seeking a quick resolution to the conflict but is facing a lack of tangible progress in dialogue between Moscow and Kiev.

According to Rubio, the United States has provided significant support to Ukraine over the past three years, but now Washington's priorities are shifting. He emphasized that Trump is interested in achieving peace, but does not intend to waste time on endless negotiations without results. The Paris meeting, which was attended by representatives of NATO countries and Ukraine, was devoted to finding ways to a ceasefire, but, as the secretary of state noted, without the willingness of the parties to compromise, further mediation is meaningless. Rubio called on Russia and Ukraine to demonstrate seriousness of intentions, warning that otherwise the United States may reconsider its role in the process.

Rubio's statement comes amid complex dynamics in the negotiating process. According to RBC, in March 2025, US-Ukrainian consultations were held in Saudi Arabia, where Kyiv agreed to a 30-day ceasefire on the condition that Moscow would do the same. In April, Rubio had already warned that Washington expected a response from Moscow in "weeks, not months," and threatened new sanctions if the ceasefire was rejected. According to Reuters, Russia has given the US a list of demands, including Ukraine's refusal to join NATO and recognition of Crimea and four regions as Russian, which remains unacceptable for Kyiv.

Tensions between the United States and Ukraine also complicate the situation. According to The Wall Street Journal, in February 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed dissatisfaction with the negotiations without Kyiv's participation, which led to a temporary halt in the exchange of intelligence between Washington and Kiev. Rubio, commenting on these disagreements, assured that the United States does not intend to exclude Ukraine from the process, but emphasized the need for a pragmatic approach. At the same time, as The New York Times notes, European allies fear that a hasty US withdrawal from mediation will increase pressure on Europe, which is not yet ready to take a leading role in the settlement.