After completing what he described as a productive round of discussion to end the war in Ukraine held in Paris, State Secretary Marco Rubio on Friday put a surprising ultimatum for all parties involved, stating that the US was willing to move from negotiations if they did not produce immediate results.
“We need to find out here, now in a matter of days, whether this can be done in the short term, because if not, then I think we will only move,” Rubio said on the foundation when he left France on Friday morning.
“We have other priorities to focus too,” he added. “This is not our war.”
State Secretary Marco Rubio arrived at Quai D’Orsay, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before a bilateral meeting with its French colleagues in Paris, April 17, 2025.
Julien De Rosa/Via Reuters
Then, in the White House, President Donald Trump echoed Rubio’s statement – said that the US would make a determination “very short.”
“Now, if for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we will only say you are stupid, you are stupid, you are a terrible person, and we will only take permission,” Trump said without determining which party. “But hopefully, we don’t have to do that.”
Trump also made an optimistic record, and refused to say whether he would actually leave the full talks or if he believed in Russian President Vladimir Putin was jammed.
“My whole life has become a big negotiation. And I know when people play us and I know when they don’t, and I have to see the enthusiasm to want to end it. And I think I see that enthusiasm,” he said. “I think I see it from both sides.”
Residents of Donald Trump spoke during the seizure ceremony for the administrator of the Medicare and Medicaid service center, Mehmet Oz at the White House Oval Office in Washington, 18 April 2025.
Alex Brandon/AP
While the President refused to set a certain deadline for progress, Rubio looked forward to the new round of discussion which is scheduled to take place in London early next week as an engagement that has the potential to determine, by saying he can be present – but only if the meeting seems ready to cause action rather than just talking.
Trump’s government ultimatum came because the negotiator was increasingly frustrated because of the lack of momentum, especially from the Russian side.
Officials say that Kremlin has repeatedly insisting the suspension of punishment from economic sanctions in return to take additional steps towards peace. Relief for Moscow will need action from the US and its allies, and so far, it seems to be a step that does not want to be taken by European leaders.
“I always remind everyone that part of sanctions against Russia, many of them are European sanctions that we cannot lift,” Rubio said.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky attended a joint press conference with Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever after their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, April 8, 2025.
Sergey Dolzhenko/EPa-Efe/Shutterstock
Rubio tried to increase pressure on Moscow during a call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, according to officials who were familiar with the conversation, which added that the government was full of progress to be made at hours between their talks and the departure of secretaries from France.
But after Rubio’s public comments, Moscow gave a sign that it was not rushed to reach an agreement.
“We believe that certain progress can, in reality, has been recognized,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “There have been some developments, but, of course, there are still many complicated discussions in front.”
This development came as one of the indicators of the 30-day weapon that was intended to pause with the target of the energy-after-exposure infrastructure, without Putin’s word about whether Moscow would restart the attack on the target.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting on navy development in Saint Petersburg on April 11, 2025.
Alexandr Demyachuk/Pool/AFP Via Getty Images
Both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other repeatedly violating the agreement, which was mediated by Trump’s administration last month.
Although it is unclear whether Rubio and Trump’s comments will have an impact on Moscow, they tend to trigger anxiety in Kyiv. So far, administrative officials have not given an indication that the US will re -turn support for the Ukraine war effort if it leaves peaceful negotiations.
“Although Trump’s administration is true to act with a sense of urgency, threatening to wash our hands from peace talks can be very well giving incentives to Russia’s intransuality because Moscow is likely to calculate that the United States go away will cause the end of American assistance to Ukraine,” said John Hardie, Deputy Director of the Foundation for the Defense Program.
“Conversely, Washington must focus on suppressing Russia, including by tightening sanctions on Russian oil income,” continued Hardie. “Meanwhile, Washington must try to help Ukrainian troops spend the potential of Russia’s offensive to show Putin he cannot get through further battles.”
If the US actually withdraws from negotiations, Rubio only said that Trump administrative members will “do what we can margin.”