Trump says US will abandon Ukraine peace efforts if Russia not serious

In a press conference on Friday, President Donald Trump made it clear that the United States will not continue to pursue peace efforts for Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to ceasefire terms. Trump stated, “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. But hopefully we won’t have to do that.”

These remarks from the president were in line with comments made earlier in the day by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had just concluded a meeting in Paris with special envoy Steve Witkoff, French President Emmanuel Macron, and officials from Ukraine, Germany, and the U.K. This meeting marked the first of its kind and signaled increased European involvement in U.S. efforts to secure a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia.

While Ukraine has agreed to both full and interim ceasefire proposals, Russia has been hesitant to agree to any terms, despite maintaining a 30-day ceasefire on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Rubio emphasized that if no progress is made in the negotiations, the U.S. is prepared to “move on” to other pressing matters.

It remains uncertain how the U.S. will proceed if Russia continues to stall on ending its illegal invasion of Ukraine. Trump has previously threatened to impose additional sanctions on Russia if a deal cannot be reached. Last month, he expressed frustration with Putin’s reluctance to engage in a ceasefire with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating that he would impose tariffs on Russian oil if necessary.

Trump did not specify a timeline for when a decision would be made regarding Russia’s commitment to ending the conflict, but he stressed the importance of a quick resolution. He stated, “It needs to happen quickly — we want to get it done.”

As the situation continues to unfold, the U.S. remains committed to working towards a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. The president’s comments underscore the urgency of the situation and the need for all parties involved to come to the table and negotiate in good faith.