US pushes Ukraine and Russia to strike deal as time runs out
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States will walk away from the Russia-Ukraine peace talks about the Russia-Ukraine war if progress isn’t made within days. The stark message came amid growing frustration in Washington over the slow pace of negotiations and continued bloodshed in Ukraine.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump said: “We’re talking about here people dying. We’re going to get it stopped, ideally. Now if, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say, ‘You’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re going to just take a pass.”
US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that talks between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head,” firmly asserting that neither party is “playing” him (Image: AP Photo/Alex Brandon).
Rubio says peace deal must be “doable in days”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the urgency. After high-level talks in Paris with European and Ukrainian leaders, he warned the US would not keep pushing indefinitely.
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,” Rubio told reporters. “We need to determine very quickly now – and I’m talking about a matter of days – whether or not this is doable.”
He stressed that while a deal would be difficult, there must be evidence that one is even possible. “If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just going to move on.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets European foreign ministers in Paris on Friday (Image: Reuters/Julien De Rosa).
Russian strikes continue as civilians suffer
The comments come amid a fresh wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. On Friday, air strikes hit the north-eastern cities of Kharkiv and Sumy, killing two and injuring over 100 people.
A bakery in Sumy was struck by a drone attack, killing a customer and wounding a staff member. Emergency photos showed Easter cakes coated in dust and rubble inside the ruined building.
Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 has devastated Ukraine and forced millions from their homes. The frontlines have shifted slowly, with Russian troops advancing in parts of eastern Ukraine.
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Kremlin calls negotiations “difficult”
When asked about Trump’s comments, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov admitted negotiations were proving hard.
“The negotiations taking place are quite difficult,” he said. “The Russian side is striving to reach a peace settlement in this conflict, to ensure its own interests, and is open to dialogue.”
Moscow has made multiple demands, including halting Ukraine’s mobilisation and ending Western arms shipments. Kyiv has rejected these conditions.
Ukraine minerals deal re-emerges as bargaining chip
Amid the Russia Ukraine war, Washington and Kyiv have revived a stalled minerals deal. On Thursday, the US and Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent to create an investment fund for Ukraine’s reconstruction. The agreement aims to finalise by 26 April.
The minerals pact had collapsed in February after a tense Oval Office meeting between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Vice-President JD Vance ended in a shouting match.
This week’s developments hint at a thaw, with Trump saying: “We have a minerals deal which I guess is going to be signed on Thursday… and I assume they’re going to live up to the deal. So we’ll see.”
Zelensky seeks security guarantees in return
Ukraine hopes the deal can lead to a US security guarantee as part of a broader peace agreement. Zelensky has told European leaders that “a ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine”.
So far, the US has resisted such guarantees. The White House says US business involvement in Ukraine could deter Russia, though that didn’t stop the 2022 invasion.
Despite that, Vice-President Vance remains hopeful. After talks in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, he said: “We do feel optimistic that we can hopefully bring this war – this very brutal war – to a close.”
Rubio briefs Russia, says Paris talks “constructive”
Rubio also spoke directly with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the Paris meeting. He shared “some of the elements” of the US framework and said Lavrov didn’t walk away from the talks.
“Nobody rejected anything, nobody got up from the table or walked away,” Rubio said. He also credited European partners, saying: “The UK and France and Germany can help us move the ball on this.”
Talks are set to continue in London next week, which Rubio said could be decisive.
An attack on Sumy by the Russians resulted in the destruction of a bakery. (Image: Reuters)
Trump insists “no one is playing me”
Back in Washington, Trump remained firm. “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” he said. “Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on.”
Asked if Vladimir Putin was stalling negotiations, Trump replied: “I hope not.”
He added that talks were “coming to a head” and insisted “no one is playing” him in the process.
The Russia Ukraine war has become a key focus of Trump’s foreign policy. He previously promised to end it within 24 hours of taking office but has since walked back that timeline.
Civilian toll rises as war drags on
The toll of the Russia Ukraine war continues to mount. On Palm Sunday, missiles killed 34 people in Sumy. Days later, cluster munitions struck a residential area in Kharkiv, injuring over 60 more.
The White House maintains that peace remains the ultimate goal. However, unless both sides signal progress soon, the US may turn its focus elsewhere. As Rubio said, “It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on.”
