THE US will walk away from brokering peace talks between Ukraine and Russia unless there is a deal within days, Trump’s Secretary of State warned.
Marco Rubio, speaking in Paris, said talks needed to progress “very quickly now” and gave a “matter of days” as a deadline.
A building in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, burning after being hit by a Russian drone strike on Friday[/caption]
Ukrainian soldiers line up for a drill under the ‘Contract 18-24’ project[/caption]
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US has other priorities it could focus on[/caption]
Rubio said: “We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end.
“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 is we’re in. If it’s not, then we have other priorities to focus on as well.”
Trump’s team has spent weeks trying to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, and are frustrated by the continuing fighting.
Last week, Trump issued a blistering warning to Putin to “get moving” with accepting negotiations.
Rubio reiterated the urgency following a marathon day of talks among US, Ukrainian and European diplomats.
It was the first time with Trump in charge that officials from those three groups are known to have met to discuss an end to the war.
He said the conversations had been positive and pathed the way for peace.
Another similar meeting is expected in London early next week, according to French officials, but Rubio said he couldn’t make it.
Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff have helped lead US efforts to seek peace.
Several rounds of negotiations have been held in Saudi Arabia, and Witkoff has met with Putin three times.
Moscow has effectively refused to accept a comprehensive ceasefire that Trump has pushed and Ukraine has endorsed.
The UK is considering sending troops to Ukraine for a period of years in order to keep the peace.
France has also revealed they are considering “mobilising civilians” to counter a looming Russian threat
The Kremlin has warned that any Nato interference would mean war.
Putin’s puppets have been raging over the Paris talks.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev fumed that “Ukraine’s fascist clique have come to Paris for talks with the UK, Germany and France”.
He taunted that they were discussing “how many European coffins they will be ready to accept after the deployment of the troops of the `coalition of the willing’ in Ukraine”.
Rubio’s comments followed a long day of talks in Paris between EU, US and Ukrainian officials[/caption]
The funeral of Ukrainian soldier Marharyta Polovinko, 31[/caption]
The conversations in Paris come as a minerals deal between the US and Ukraine looks set to be signed next week.
The two nations will begin a new round of negotiations on April 24, Ukraine’s deputy minister of economy told the national broadcaster on Friday.
Taras Kachka said: “We are trying to resolve many technical issues online and in writing in order to narrow them down to the most sensitive issues that will require a political decision.”
If signed, the deal is expected to see the US profit from Ukraine’s rich stock of natural resources, in exchange for helping the country recover from war.
Trump has warned Putin to ‘get moving’ with peace negotiations[/caption]
Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately blocking peace progress[/caption]
Trump argues that the presence of US businesses on Ukrainian soil will deter Russia from launching future attacks.
The deal was previously abandoned after Trump and Zelensky sensationally clashed in the Oval Office, right before it was due to be signed.
Meanwhile, Russian bombs continue to slaughter civilians in Ukraine.
A vicious “double-tap” missile attack on Sumy killed at least 35 on Palm Sunday.
World leaders slammed the attack, with Zelensky branding Putin a “b***ard” for deliberately targeting civilians.
He urged the world not the remain “silent” or “indifferent” to the violence, and called for “really strong pressure” against Russia.
Another lethal missile and drone attack terrorised Ukrainians today, on Good Friday.
A man was killed in his Kharkiv flat as an an Iskander-M ballistic missile slammed into a residential tower and unleashed cluster munitions.
Trump’s warning to Putin
By Patrick Harrington, foreign news reporter
PRESIDENT Trump has become increasingly frustrated by Russia’s refusal to end the war.
Ahead of his envoy, Steve Witkoff, meeting Putin this week, Trump warned the Russian leader to “get moving” and sign a full ceasefire deal.
Ahead of Friday’s meeting, Trump said: “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war.
“A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”
Then, on Saturday night, Trump doubled down with a stern message for Putin.
He said: “I think Ukraine-Russia might be going OK. And you’re going to be find out pretty soon.
“There’s a point at which you have to either put up or shut up. We’ll see what happens. But I think it’s going fine.”
This week’s US-Russia meeting was the third of its kind this year.
There had been speculation that the US would set a deadline for Russia to sign a deal – with April 30 chalked as a possible red line.
A ceasefire deal known as the Black Sea Truce was brokered by the US at the end of March.
The warring sides agreed to halt all strikes in the Black Sea, as well as any action against energy or infrastructure targets.
Zelensky has since accused Ukraine of violating the terms of the truce.