Ukraine-Russia peace talks slow, U.S. officials say

The Trump administration may soon move onto other priorities as attempts to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine have stalled, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday. While U.S. officials recognize the importance of ending the war, it is not an American war, Rubio said. The administration is not willing to continue negotiating for weeks and months on end, he said.

Rubio spoke to the press Friday after he and U.S. Ambassador Steve Witkoff met with European leaders in Paris to discuss a ceasefire and support for Ukraine. Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin three times in an attempt to understand Russia’s demands for ending the war, Rubio said. The United States is willing to continue engaging in discussions, but officials have other priorities that could take precedence if there is no clear progress. It was not clear from Rubio’s statements if the country would continue to support Ukraine financially and militarily.

What else is happening in the war? Ukraine’s economy development and trade minister Yulia Svyrydenko on Thursday said that she and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had signed a memorandum that lays the foundation for a mineral deal with the United States. Under the proposed agreement, Ukraine would contribute 50% of proceeds from state-owned natural resources to a fund owned jointly by the United States. Trump during a Thursday press conference said officials plan to sign the full deal next week.

Dig deeper: Read William Fleeson’s report about how Ukrainians are wrestling with the cost of peace.