The U.S. has decided to stop mediating peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, according to an announcement from the State Department. Tammy Bruce, a spokesperson for the department, shared this news with reporters on Friday. She stated that American diplomats would no longer travel extensively for negotiations between the two nations.
Bruce emphasized that while the U.S. will continue to provide support, the responsibility for negotiating peace now falls on Ukraine and Russia. She remarked, “Now it is up to the two sides, the time has come when they must present and develop concrete ideas on how to end this conflict. It will be up to them.”
This shift in U.S. policy comes after President Donald Trump expressed concerns about the lack of progress in achieving a peace deal. He warned that mediation efforts would cease unless there were immediate advancements. Despite ongoing military actions from both sides, including attacks and counterattacks, little progress has been made toward peace. Recently, a proposed peace deal was presented by American negotiators, but both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected it.
The U.S. stepping back from its role as mediator complicates Trump’s goal of ending the war in Ukraine quickly, a key promise in his 2024 presidential campaign. As the situation evolves, it remains uncertain how this change will affect the ongoing conflict and the efforts to find a resolution.