'Will move on if....': US's ultimatum on Russia-Ukraine peace deal
What's the story
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that if the current war in Ukraine can't be brought to an end, America should look to move on. He stressed how urgent the decision was, saying, "We need to determine very quickly now, and I'm talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable." Rubio's comments followed a meeting with special envoy Steve Witkoff and European and Ukrainian allies to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
Peace negotiations
Rubio's remarks follow peace talks with European and Ukrainian allies
He said he and Witkoff were in Paris "to begin to talk about more specific outlines of what it might take to end the war." "If it's not possible, if...this is not going to happen, then I think the president is probably at a point where he's going to say we're done," he said. According to a State Department readout, an outline of the peace plan proposed by the US received an "encouraging reception." The specifics, however, weren't disclosed.
Diplomatic efforts
Rubio discusses peace plan with Russian foreign minister
Rubio also took the proposed peace plan to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. At the meeting, Rubio made it clear that the war is not the US's war. "The United States has been helping Ukraine for the past three years and we want it to end, but it's not our war. We are now reaching a point when we need to decide and determine whether this is even possible or not. Which is why we're engaging both sides."
Russia
Ukraine announces the signing of minerals deal
Moscow has practically rejected a comprehensive ceasefire Trump has pushed and Ukraine has supported. Russia has made the ceasefire conditional on a stop in Ukraine's mobilization efforts and Western weaponry shipments, which Ukraine rejects. On Thursday, Ukraine announced the signing of the outline of a minerals deal with the US. A memorandum of intent declares that the countries plan to establish an investment fund for Ukraine's rehabilitation as part of an economic partnership deal.