The United States will determine within weeks whether Vladimir Putin is genuinely committed to peace, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Speaking after a two-day NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Mr Rubio stated that Washington’s NATO allies had accused Russia of deliberately stalling ceasefire efforts. Despite President Donald Trump’s previous assertions that Putin was serious about ending the conflict in Ukraine, the US administration has reportedly grown increasingly sceptical. Mr Rubio made it clear that the US would not engage in endless negotiations, adding, “We will know soon enough, in a matter of weeks, not months, whether Russia is serious about peace or not.”
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Recent developments have cast further doubt on Russia’s intentions. Moscow rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal agreed upon by the Trump administration and Kyiv, instead agreeing only to a limited pause in attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure. However, both sides have since accused each other of violating these agreements. Meanwhile, Russian forces have continued their assault on civilian areas, with a recent overnight strike on the northeastern city of Kharkiv killing at least four people and injuring 35 others. Ukrainian officials have condemned the attack, with Kharkiv’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, confirming that rescue operations were ongoing.
European leaders have intensified their calls for Russia to demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace by signing a ceasefire agreement. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stressed that Russia “owes an answer to the United States” after extensive mediation efforts. Similarly, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy accused Putin of “dragging his feet” and continuing attacks on Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock echoed these sentiments, describing Putin’s negotiations as “nothing but empty promises” and accusing him of merely stalling for time.
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Amidst mounting pressure, Putin is reportedly preparing to send his top negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, to Washington in an attempt to salvage relations with Trump. US officials have acknowledged that Putin is resisting ceasefire talks and are considering economic and diplomatic measures to push Russia towards an agreement. Trump himself has expressed frustration with Putin, hinting at potential oil tariffs if Russia fails to negotiate in good faith. Dmitriev responded on social media, stating that entrenched interests were obstructing US-Russia dialogue and suggesting that improved relations were key to global security. Meanwhile, US lawmakers, including a bipartisan group of 50 senators, have proposed new sanctions on Russia should it continue to resist negotiations.
