PARIS – After months of efforts trying to help end the fighting, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is planning to “move on” from its Russia-Ukraine peace push if there is no progress made in the coming days.
Rubio spoke in Paris after talks between U.S., Ukrainian and European officials appeared to make some long-awaited progress and produced outlines of steps toward peace. Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.
Here’s what to know:
Marco Rubio: US may end Russia-Ukraine peace push
What they’re saying:
“We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio told reporters on Friday upon departure from Paris. “Because if it’s not, then I think we’re just going to move on.”
“It’s not our war,” Rubio added. “We have other priorities to focus on.” He said the Trump administration wants to decide “in a matter of days.”
Despite apparent growing U.S. impatience with the peace efforts, Rubio called Thursday’s Paris talks constructive. “Nobody rejected anything, nobody got up from the table or walked away.”
Rubio didn’t single out Russia or Ukraine as blocking peace efforts. He said he informed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about the outlines that emerged when they spoke after the Paris talks, but wouldn’t say how Lavrov reacted.
Rubio also told reporters in Paris that the European negotiators proved helpful after weeks of tensions with such allies. “The U.K. and France and Germany can help us move the ball on this.”
What’s next:
Another meeting is expected to be held next week in London, according to the Associated Press. Rubio suggested that that could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration continues its involvement.
The other side:
When asked about Rubio’s comments on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “fairly complex” negotiations are ongoing between Russia and the U.S. He did not give details but said no direct talks between Trump and Putin are scheduled in the coming days.
“Russia is striving toward resolving this conflict, securing its own interests, and is open to dialogue. We are continuing to do this,” Peskov said.
Moscow has effectively refused to accept a comprehensive ceasefire that Trump has pushed and Ukraine has endorsed. Russia has made it conditional on a halt in Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and Western arms supplies, which are demands rejected by Ukraine.
Big picture view:
European concerns are growing about Trump’s readiness to draw closer to Russia. These talks were the first time since Trump’s inauguration that top American, Ukrainian and European officials met to discuss an end to the war, which has posed the biggest security challenge to Europe since World War II.
The meetings addressed security guarantees for Ukraine in the future, but Rubio wouldn’t discuss any possible U.S. role in that. Some kind of U.S. support for Ukraine is seen as crucial to ensuring that Russia would not attack again after a peace deal is reached.
Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff have helped lead U.S. efforts to seek peace, and Witkoff has met three times with Putin, Rubio said. Several rounds of negotiations have been held in Saudi Arabia.
US, Ukraine minerals deal: Officials make progress
The backstory:
Rubio’s comments on Friday came as the U.S. and Ukraine neared a long-delayed deal granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, which has been intertwined with President Donald Trump’s peace push. The framework of the mineral deal had stalled in February following a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Negotiations have since resumed.
“We have a minerals deal,” Trump said on Thursday. Ukraine’s economy minister said Friday that the two countries signed a memorandum of intent ahead of a possible fuller agreement later.
Dig deeper:
The minerals deal is expected to pave the way for significant investments, infrastructure modernization and long-term cooperation.
The Source: This story was written based on comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on April 18, 2025. It was reported from Cincinnati, and the Associated Press contributed.
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