U.S. Threatens to Withdraw from Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Stalled Progress
The Biden-Trump transition-era pledge to end the Russia-Ukraine war may be losing steam, as U.S. officials signal growing frustration with a lack of tangible progress in negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.
In a notable shift in tone, Washington has warned it may disengage from its role as mediator if both sides fail to present viable proposals soon.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce delivered a pointed message attributed to Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, suggesting time is running out for diplomacy.
“We are now at a point where concrete, actionable proposals must be put forward by both parties,” Bruce said. “If progress stalls further, the United States will reconsider its role as a mediator in this process.”
Though ultimate decisions rest with President Donald Trump, who recently marked 100 days back in office, the rhetoric marks the strongest public signal yet that Washington could step back from a peace push it once declared a top foreign policy priority.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, addressing an audience in Poland via videolink, responded defiantly: “We all want this war to end in a fair way — with no rewards for Putin, especially no land.”
Meanwhile, Russian officials appear emboldened. With battlefield momentum shifting and international pressure on Ukraine growing, Moscow has shown little urgency to compromise.
Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, claimed Zelensky was the main obstacle to peace, accusing him of rejecting “balanced” U.S. proposals. “He is bent on escalating the conflict,” Nebenzia told the UN Security Council.
U.S. envoy John Kelley countered those claims, reiterating Washington’s position that both sides could benefit from the American proposal and condemning recent Russian strikes.
“Russia has a unique opportunity now to pursue a durable peace,” Kelley said, urging Moscow to respond constructively.
Inside Washington, the Trump administration faces growing scrutiny. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a blistering critique of the president’s approach.
“I have tried to give President Trump the benefit of the doubt in pursuing peace,” Shaheen said. “But his negotiations have been fatally mismanaged — offering concession after concession, weakening our leverage, and splintering the allied coalition essential to resolving this war.”
The senator warned that recognizing Russia’s annexation of Crimea would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging further territorial aggression not just from Moscow but from other global powers.
Behind the scenes, President Trump has re-engaged with Putin directly, reportedly dispatching longtime friend and real estate magnate-turned-diplomatic envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow. The president has also chastised Zelensky in private meetings, accusing the Ukrainian leader of showing insufficient gratitude for the military aid sent during the Biden administration.
Tensions spiked in late February after a deadly Russian missile strike on Kyiv, which left dozens dead in one of the war’s most lethal assaults on the capital. In a brief online post following the attack, Trump addressed Putin directly: “Vladimir, STOP.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine ordered the evacuation of seven villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region on Tuesday, as Russian forces made new advances into areas once considered behind the frontlines.
