France’s President Emmanuel Macron (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2R) next to US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (C) and France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot before a meeting at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on April 17, 2025. US Secretary of State was in Paris today to meet French President about crafting a Ukraine ceasefire, as Washington and Europe seek common ground on ending the fighting. Top Ukrainian officials were also in the French capital to meet EU and US delegations. (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff James Meyers 8:32 AM – Friday, April 18, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Friday that the U.S. would “move on” from trying to mediate a Russian-Ukraine peace deal within days, unless there’s clear signs an agreement to end the war can be reached.
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US May Abandon Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Efforts
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says, “If our efforts to end the war in Ukraine fail within the next few days, we will inform President Trump that negotiations are no longer a viable option”
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavor for weeks and months on end,” Rubio said after meetings in Paris with European and Ukrainian leaders.
“So we need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks.”
“If it’s not possible, if we’re so far apart that this is not going to happen, then I think [President Trump] is probably at a point where he’s going to say, ‘well, we’re done’,” he added.
.@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now.
Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable… pic.twitter.com/AUUWSXfhMf
@POTUS has been clear: The time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is now. Today in Paris, @SE_MiddleEast, @SPE_Kellogg and I met with leaders from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine to talk about how we can stop the killing and reach a just and sustainable peace,” Rubio noted in a post on X.
Rubio’s warning came amid signs of some progress in U.S. talks with Ukraine and alluded to growing frustration within the White House over Russia’s apparent stalling to end the war.
“It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on,” Rubio said.
“The president feels very strongly about that. He has dedicated a lot of time and energy to this … this is important, but there are a lot of other really important things going on that deserves just as much, if not more attention.”
The 47th president has pressured both sides to come to the negotiating table, threatening tougher sanctions on Russia or an end to billions of dollars in U.S. military support for Kyiv.
“Russia is striving toward resolving this conflict, securing its own interests, and is open to dialogue. We are continuing to do this,” he said.
He did not give details but said no direct talks between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled in the next few days.
Meanwhile, Rubio said he’d spoken with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and briefed him on details of the U.S. peace framework.
The Russian president has repeatedly stated that he wants Ukraine to drop its NATO ambitions, permanently cede to Russia the four regions it has lost and limit the size of its military.
Rubio stated on Friday it was clear that a peace deal would be difficult to strike but there needed to be signs it could be completed soon.
This also comes after Trump’s special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff revealed earlier in the week that his recent high-stakes talks with Putin were “compelling,” and emphasized that Putin was open to a “permanent peace” deal with Ukraine.
“I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large,” Witkoff told Fox News’ Sean Hannity – despite him returning from last week’s talks empty handed.
“This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there’s so much more to it,” he said, referencing the eastern flank of Ukraine that Russia wants to annex.
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