Marta Gichko13:52, 17.06.25

The news has heightened concerns among US allies in Europe, especially ahead of the NATO summit.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has terminated an interagency working group that was supposed to develop strategies to pressure Russia to speed up peace talks with Ukraine, three US officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity .

The initiative was created in the spring and coordinated by the US National Security Council. It included representatives from the State Department, the Pentagon, the Treasury Department, and intelligence. It aimed to form a single policy that would force the Kremlin to sit down at the negotiating table. One of the coordinators was Andrew Peak, who was responsible for the direction of Europe and Russia in the National Security Council. He, like the entire team from the Ukraine direction, was fired in May as part of a major purge in the White House.

The slowdown became apparent as early as May, when it became clear that Trump did not want a confrontation with Moscow, despite his campaign promises to end the war “on day one.” Instead of stepping up diplomatic efforts, the president began to express doubts about the need for further American mediation in a peace settlement.

The news has heightened concerns among U.S. allies in Europe, especially ahead of a NATO summit. Critics say Trump’s moderate rhetoric on Russia and his refusal to clearly support Ukraine could undermine Western unity.

(c)UNIAN 2025