Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head”, and warned that Washington may withdraw from mediation efforts if there is no significant progress in ending the prolonged conflict.
Speaking at the White House, Trump emphasized that neither side is manipulating him in his peace efforts. “If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re going to say you’re fools, you’re foolish, and we’re just going to take a pass,” Trump told reporters.
When asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin was deliberately stalling the negotiations, Trump replied, “I hope not.”
US May Step Back from Peace Initiative
Trump reiterated that the United States would “take a pass” on facilitating further discussions between Kyiv and Moscow unless both sides demonstrate a clear willingness to move forward. His comments echoed concerns raised by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who recently met with European allies and warned that Washington could “move on” if a ceasefire doesn’t seem attainable within days.
When asked to confirm Rubio’s assessment, Trump responded from the Oval Office, “Yeah, very shortly. No specific number of days, but quickly. We want to get it done.”
Although Trump refrained from assigning blame to either Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, he maintained that the responsibility for progress lies with both leaders. “Now, 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,” he added.
“But hopefully we won’t have to do that.”
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Background and Recent Developments
Since returning to office, Trump has taken an assertive approach to the Ukraine conflict, including initiating direct talks with Putin in February. His approach has surprised many Western allies, some of whom have expressed unease over his willingness to negotiate personally with the Russian leader.
Trump, who had previously claimed he could resolve the conflict within 24 hours—a statement he later described as sarcastic—has continued to stress the importance of a swift resolution.
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While Ukraine has shown willingness for a temporary ceasefire, officials in Kyiv accuse Moscow of deliberately delaying progress to improve its leverage at the negotiating table.
When questioned about whether Putin might be intentionally stalling, Trump said, “I hope not. I’ll let you know soon.”
He also rejected any implication that he was being manipulated by Putin, referencing the Russian leader’s past denials of invasion plans. “Nobody’s playing me, I’m trying to help,” Trump stated.
