In a dramatic shift of tone, President Donald Trump has issued a blunt warning to both Kyiv and Moscow: make meaningful progress in peace talks soon, or the United States will “take a pass” on further negotiations.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Friday, Trump expressed growing frustration over the lack of progress in brokering a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. “We’re talking about people dying. We’re going to get it stopped — ideally,” he said. “But if one side makes it too difficult, we’ll just say, ‘You’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’ll take a pass.”
His comments came just hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio signaled that the U.S. had only days left before potentially pulling out of the diplomatic effort altogether. “We’re not going to drag this on for weeks and months. If this isn’t doable, we move on,” Rubio said after talks in Paris.
This latest pressure comes as Russia’s relentless assault continues across Ukraine. On Friday alone, missile strikes killed at least two people and injured over 100 in Kharkiv and Sumy. Russia’s military, while advancing slowly, continues its brutal campaign in Ukraine’s eastern regions.
Meanwhile, President Putin remains firm on his preconditions for a ceasefire. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted the negotiations are “quite difficult” but insisted Moscow remains open to dialogue.
Trump’s direct style and unfiltered remarks — including sharp jabs at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky — have raised alarm bells among NATO allies. Many fear that cooling U.S. support could leave Ukraine vulnerable, especially as European support is stretched thin.
Adding to the complexity is an emerging economic dimension. Just a day before Trump’s comments, the U.S. and Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent to establish a joint investment fund — a potential multi-billion-dollar minerals and infrastructure deal. But the agreement follows a previously failed meeting in February, which ended in a fiery exchange between Trump and Zelensky.
The current memo suggests cooperation on Ukraine’s post-war reconstruction, with a target signing date of April 26. However, the deal is controversial. Leaks suggest it may extend beyond minerals to include energy infrastructure, raising concerns in Ukraine’s parliament. Some negotiators are also pushing back on Trump’s proposal that the fund repay previous U.S. military aid.
Despite the friction, U.S. Vice President JD Vance struck a more optimistic tone during a visit to Rome. “We’re hopeful we can bring this very brutal war to a close,” he said, adding that discussions were moving quickly behind the scenes.
Ukrainian lawmakers remain cautious. Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a key MP, said parliament would have “the last word” on the deal, stressing that it must serve Ukraine’s national interest.
As Secretary Rubio and Trump’s envoy continue talks with Ukrainian officials, it’s clear the U.S. is setting a firm deadline: make real progress toward peace — or America walks away.
