Washington/Kyiv, April 30 – The United States on Tuesday warned Russia and Ukraine that it may withdraw from its mediation efforts in the ongoing war unless both sides present concrete proposals to end the conflict. Speaking through State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington is running out of patience with the lack of progress toward peace.
“We are now at a time where concrete proposals need to be delivered by the two parties on how to end this conflict,” Bruce told reporters, citing Rubio. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to broker an end to the war, echoed the urgency last week after a Russian ballistic missile struck a residential area in Kyiv, killing dozens in one of the deadliest attacks since the invasion began in 2022. In a post on social media, Trump wrote, “Vladimir, STOP.”
Trump has reportedly suggested a controversial proposal under which Ukraine would allow Russia to retain control of the Crimean peninsula — a move strongly opposed by Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky firmly rejected any territorial concessions in remarks made via video at a summit hosted by Poland on Tuesday. “We all want this war to end in a fair way — with no rewards for Putin, especially no land,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s longstanding demand that Russia commit to an “unconditional and complete ceasefire” before any talks on a broader peace agreement can take place. “Right now, they are worried that their parade is in jeopardy, and rightly so,” he added, in an apparent reference to Russia’s upcoming Victory Day celebrations. “But they should be worried that this war is still going on.”
The U.S. has been actively mediating informal talks behind the scenes, but officials have indicated that without serious engagement from Moscow and Kyiv, the effort may be abandoned altogether. The war, now in its third year, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions, with both sides digging in despite mounting international pressure for a resolution.
