Rubio's threats about US exiting peace talks mostly directed at Ukraine - Media
Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State (Photo: Getty Images)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement about the possibility of Washington halting efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war is mostly directed at the official Kyiv, according to several European diplomats.
Disappointment from Trump
A few days before US President Donald Trump and members of his administration publicly stated their readiness to wash their hands of Russian-Ukrainian diplomacy, the White House chief expressed his frustration in a private conversation with his aides about the deadlock in peace talks, according to Western media.
Despite his numerous promises to end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, and the considerable number of negotiations, on April 18, Trump declared that he was ready to abandon the process if there was no progress in the foreseeable future.
At the same time, the American president did not set a final deadline and did not specify whether he would take any further actions, apart from possibly stepping away from such peace negotiations.
As Axios reports, a few days earlier, Trump clearly expressed his frustration in a private conversation about a ceasefire with several of his key advisors, including Secretary of State Rubio and diplomatic representative Steve Witkoff.
Possible 'recipient' of Rubio's threats
According to Rubio, the American president decided that he had dedicated a lot of time and energy to this, and now there are many things happening in the world that we need to focus on.
On Friday, the US Secretary of State had a phone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and reiterated that if a clear path to peace does not emerge soon, the US will step back from peace mediation efforts.
Furthermore, Rubio also shared Trump's frustration with French, British, German, and Ukrainian officials who gathered in Paris on April 17 for a series of meetings to discuss a path to peace.
"Rubio was not specific about what such a step would look like but only stressed that the US wants fast progress," said one European diplomat in a conversation with Axios.
As confirmed by two European diplomats, the US Secretary of State stated that Trump is losing patience and may withdraw from the process if no agreement is reached soon.
Meanwhile, three European diplomats believe that Rubio's comments were largely directed at the Ukrainian side, according to Axios.
A source close to the Ukrainian government also told Western media that the US Secretary of State's comments appeared to be aimed at pressuring Kyiv.
Axios' source also expressed concern that Trump's withdrawal from the negotiations could lead to a suspension of US military aid to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, as European diplomats revealed, during the Paris meetings, Rubio did not talk about increasing pressure on Russia.
"The impression was that Rubio and Witkoff are under a lot of pressure from Trump and they are channeling it to the other players," said a European diplomat in a comment to Axios.
Rubio's warning about the possible US withdrawal from peace talks
On April 18, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US might withdraw from its role as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia. The official explained that this could happen if, in the coming days, there are no signs of a swift agreement between the two warring countries.
Additionally, according to CNN, Rubio's so-called ultimatum to Ukraine and Russia reflects Trump's position.
Later, US President Donald Trump confirmed that Washington might withdraw from peace talks regarding Ukraine if one side of the conflict obstructs peace efforts.
