Trump threatens to quit Ukraine talks, shifts pressure to Kyiv
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is pressuring Ukraine to end the war, without mentioning an increase in pressure on Russia, Axios reports, citing American and European officials familiar with the negotiations.
President Donald Trump, who previously promised to broker a peace deal within 24 hours of taking office, is currently disappointed with the prolonged negotiations and is prepared to withdraw from his role as mediator. In private conversations, he expressed frustration over the lack of results.
Pressure on Kyiv, not on the aggressor
According to one well-informed American official, if an agreement is not reached soon, Trump will focus on other foreign policy priorities, Axios reports.
Trump has so far not set any deadline and has not announced further steps apart from possibly withdrawing from the negotiations.
- We need to figure out here now, within a matter of days, whether this is doable in the short term - said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking about efforts to end the war.
- Rubio was not specific about what such a step would look like but only stressed that the US wants fast progress - a European diplomat told Axios.
Two other officials confirmed that Rubio made it clear that Trump is losing patience and may withdraw from the process if an agreement is not reached soon.
Three European diplomats assessed that Rubio's comments were primarily directed at the Ukrainian side.
What's next for military aid to Ukraine?
A source close to the Ukrainian government also indicated that these statements aimed to put pressure on Kyiv and expressed concerns that Trump's withdrawal from negotiations could lead to a halt in American military aid to Ukraine.
European diplomats added that during meetings in Paris, Rubio did not mention 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 - commented one of the diplomats.
It is worth recalling that Ukraine quickly agreed to Trump's plan for a 30-day ceasefire. Meanwhile, Russia was in no hurry to support this initiative, arguing its successes on the front and setting a series of conditions for a potential peace agreement.
Trump defeated by Putin?
As a result, it is unlikely that the Kremlin is particularly concerned about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from the diplomatic process.
On Thursday, April 17, a meeting was held in Paris between the Ukrainian delegation and representatives from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, where they discussed, among other things, a total ceasefire, the presence of a multinational contingent, and security guarantees for Ukraine.
Simultaneously, an American delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Paris for talks.
