The Trump administration is giving Ukraine and Russia just days to show real commitment to ending the war—or the United States will walk away from the table. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued the ultimatum Friday as he departed Europe, frustrated with what he called unproductive talks and a lack of seriousness from both sides.
“We’re trying to prevent bombings,” Rubio told reporters, “but we’re not going to be flying all over the world and do meeting after meeting after meeting if no progress is being made.”
Rubio made clear that if neither side takes tangible steps toward a ceasefire, President Trump is ready to disengage entirely. “We need to determine very quickly now—within days—whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks. If it is, we’re in. If it’s not, we have other priorities to focus on,” he said.
That “other priorities” remark speaks volumes. Trump has made it clear that endless foreign wars and bottomless aid checks are over. America is no longer a blank checkbook for global conflicts. And unless the peace process starts moving, Trump won’t waste another second playing referee in a conflict where neither side wants peace.
Rubio emphasized that this is not about abandoning Ukraine. If either side genuinely wants a deal, the U.S. is ready to help—but only then. “We’ll do what we can, on the margins,” Rubio said. “But this isn’t going to go on for weeks and months.”
His frustration was plain. Previous ceasefire attempts have failed due to one side demanding endless carve-outs or concessions. Now, Rubio says the White House is done with symbolic gestures and dead-end meetings.
One major flashpoint in recent months was Ukraine’s collapse of a rare earth minerals deal that was supposed to rebalance the relationship with the U.S. from dependency to mutual economic benefit. Instead of showing gratitude for the billions in American aid delivered during the Biden years, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington with more demands—torpedoing the deal.
That misstep didn’t sit well with Trump’s team. But signs of progress may finally be emerging. Zelensky said Thursday that “good progress” had been made on reviving the minerals agreement. On Friday, Ukraine reportedly signed an outline deal with Washington—possibly giving the Trump administration the breakthrough it was waiting for.
Still, Rubio’s message was clear: no more delay. If the next round of diplomacy doesn’t yield a ceasefire framework, the U.S. will shift its focus elsewhere. That means security guarantees, weapons shipments, and sanctions pressure could all be reevaluated.
Rubio also praised the role of key European allies like the U.K., France, Germany, and Italy, noting their constructive role in the latest talks. But he notably excluded the European Union itself, reinforcing Trump’s broader skepticism toward transnational bureaucracies that don’t deliver results.
His comments are a shot across the bow—not just for Ukraine and Russia, but for global elites still clinging to the old model of endless diplomacy with no accountability. Trump’s foreign policy doctrine remains rooted in results, not rituals.
Bottom line: if there’s no peace in sight, Trump’s not going to babysit the process. The United States is ready to step back and let others waste their time instead.
