U.S. President Donald Trump has denied being manipulated by either the Russian or Ukrainian governments amid ongoing efforts to broker an end to the war, which began in 2022 with Russia’s unprovoked invasion. Speaking from the Oval Office following a swearing-in ceremony for Medicare official Mehmet Oz, Trump stated that the current talks are “coming to a head”, and cautioned that the United States would walk away if no resolution is reached in the near future.
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“If one of the parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say you’re fools, you’re horrible people, and we’ll take a pass,” he told reporters. Trump’s remarks came shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Paris, warned that Washington may soon “move on” from diplomatic involvement if peace remains elusive. Rubio emphasised that the U.S. has other pressing priorities and cannot remain indefinitely committed to stalled negotiations.
Rubio also appeared to strike a more conciliatory tone with key European allies such as the UK, France, and Germany, suggesting they could help drive progress. “No one is saying this can be solved in 12 hours,” he said, “but we need to assess whether peace is achievable in the short term”. Talks are scheduled to resume in London next week, with Rubio indicating that those discussions could determine whether the U.S. maintains its role in the process.
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According to the U.S. State Department, Rubio previously informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that the U.S. might “step back” from its efforts if a viable path to peace does not become clear soon. When questioned about Rubio’s statement, Trump echoed his support: “Marco is right,” though he stopped short of confirming a complete withdrawal, instead reiterating, “We want to see it end.”
