Karina Bovsunovska10:31, 19.04.25

According to the publication’s interlocutors, Trump is disappointed with the delay in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to agree to a ceasefire, but is doing nothing to influence Russia’s position,  Axios reports  , citing US and European officials. 

According to sources, Trump, who previously promised to achieve peace in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, is frustrated by the delay in the negotiations and is therefore ready to abandon the US role in this issue. In particular, in a private conversation, the American leader said that he was disappointed with the ineffectiveness of these negotiations. 

One US official noted that Trump may focus on other foreign policy areas if a deal is not reached soon. 

“We need to find out… within a few days whether it’s possible to do this in the short term,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on the issue of ending the war in Ukraine.

At the same time, one of the European diplomats added that Rubio did not specify what exactly such a step would look like, so he only said that the US wants quick progress. 

In turn, two other European diplomats emphasized: 

“Rubio has made it clear that Trump is losing patience and may walk out of the process if a deal is not reached soon.”

Three European diplomats also stressed that Rubio’s words were primarily aimed at Ukraine. In particular, a source close to the Ukrainian government also stated that these statements were made to put pressure on Kyiv. In addition, the interlocutor expressed concern that the US president’s withdrawal from the negotiations could suspend American military aid to Ukraine. 

At the same time, European diplomats added that during the meetings in Paris, Rubio did not talk about increasing pressure on Russia. 

“It seemed like Rubio and Witkoff were under a lot of pressure from Trump and were trying to pass it on to other players,” one of the sources told the publication.

Axios summarized:

“Ukraine quickly agreed to Trump’s plans for a 30-day ceasefire, but Russia was slow to move forward with the proposal, arguing that it was winning on the battlefield and therefore had a number of conditions for any peace deal. As a result, the Kremlin is unlikely to be particularly concerned about Trump abandoning diplomacy.”

Negotiations to end the war in Ukraine – latest news

Reuters previously reported that the US withdrawal from the talks would destroy hopes for peace in Ukraine. One US official told the publication that Marco Rubio’s recent comments reflect Trump’s frustration and his fear that this war could soon be associated with him personally.

At the same time, the US State Department is demanding answers from Russia regarding its readiness to end the war. The department stressed that American officials flew to Paris “with a clear motivation to find a way to end the Russian-Ukrainian war in order to stop the bloodshed.”

(c)UNIAN 2025