The United States is pulling back from its role in brokering peace between Russia and Ukraine, according to a statement Thursday from a senior State Department official.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters that the U.S. “will not be the mediators” going forward. Her comments reflect President Trump’s growing dissatisfaction with the stagnant negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian governments.
“We are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings,” Bruce said, emphasizing that while the U.S. still supports a peaceful resolution, it will no longer take the lead.
“It is now between the two parties, and now — now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end. It’s going to be up to them,” she stated.
Bruce noted that the Trump administration is increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has yet to follow through on his repeated claims of being prepared for peace.
“We are watching Putin’s actions, right, not his words. And in the process, he’s refined a very specific timeline. Weeks ago it was weeks; a few days ago it was days,” she said.
“This would be a pivotal week,” she added, hinting that a turning point may be approaching.
Her remarks came one day after the United States finalized a major mineral resource agreement with Ukraine, following two months of intense back-and-forth. The timing of the deal could further reduce Russia’s willingness to negotiate.
The agreement establishes a joint investment mechanism to which both Washington and Kyiv will contribute. Under the terms, the U.S. can count military supplies, technology, or training toward its share of the contributions.
Meanwhile, previously approved military aid packages from the Biden-era Congress are expected to be exhausted by next month. With Republicans controlling the House, it remains uncertain whether more assistance will be approved.
Despite the uncertainty over congressional funding, Ukraine has continued to purchase arms directly from American defense companies. On Tuesday, the State Department informed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that it had authorized a $50 million export license for weapons, technical data, and defense services to Kyiv.
Sources in Ukraine have told The NY Post that they’re hoping this minerals partnership may open the door to more direct weapons sales from the U.S.—a policy the American government has hesitated to embrace in the past.
Last month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he asked President Trump if the U.S. would sell up to 10 Patriot missile batteries—systems exclusively manufactured in America—for $15 billion. Trump declined the request.
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both echoed the sentiment that any peace agreement will ultimately have to come from the warring sides themselves.
“It’s going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict,” Vance said in a Fox News appearance on “Special Report with Bret Baier.”
Vance went on to explain that the current military standoff shows little sign of changing. “It’s not going anywhere,” he said.
“It’s not going to end any time soon,” he added. “For the Ukrainians, yes, of course they are angry that they were invaded, but are we going to continue to lose thousands and thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory this or that way?”
Rubio, speaking in a separate interview on “Hannity,” remarked that unless substantial progress is made, President Trump “is going to have to make a decision about how much more time we’re going to dedicate to this.”
On Monday, the Kremlin announced a temporary 72-hour halt in combat operations to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat. However, U.S. officials suspect the ceasefire is more about optics than genuine peacemaking.
The pause is scheduled to begin at midnight on May 8 and extend through May 10, aligning with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
{Matzav.com}