Trump Russia-Ukraine peace deal efforts could come to an abrupt end within days if no clear progress emerges, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday. His remarks follow a series of high-level meetings in Paris with European and Ukrainian leaders.
“We’re not going to keep this going for weeks and months,” Rubio stated. “We need to determine quickly—within days—whether a deal is even possible in the coming weeks.”
Rubio added that President Donald Trump has invested significant time and energy into the process but feels the urgency to refocus if prospects remain dim. “There are a lot of other important issues demanding our attention,” he said.
So far, there has been no official response from Paris, London, Berlin, Kyiv, or Moscow on Rubio’s announcement. However, the comments align with recent signs of progress between the U.S. and Ukraine on a separate minerals agreement.
On Thursday, Trump said he expects to sign a deal with Kyiv next week granting the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. A previous attempt in February collapsed after tensions flared during a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office.
The Paris discussions marked the first in-person, high-level talks involving European powers on Trump’s peace initiative. According to Rubio, the U.S. peace proposal received an “encouraging reception,” while Zelenskiy’s office described the talks as “constructive and positive.”
Rubio’s remarks reflect growing frustration within the White House. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office, later extended his target to April or May.
He has tried to push both Moscow and Kyiv toward negotiations by warning of harsher sanctions on Russia and a possible cutoff of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
While previous U.S.-led talks in Saudi Arabia resulted in a partial ceasefire, major progress has stalled. Fighting continues, with a recent Russian missile strike in Sumy killing 35 civilians—an attack Trump condemned as a “mistake.”
If the U.S. withdraws from its mediating role, it could deal a heavy blow to global peace efforts. No other nation wields the same leverage over both Russia and Ukraine.
Rubio revealed that he briefed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov following the Paris meetings. While he didn’t disclose full details, he confirmed that U.S. security guarantees had been discussed.
According to Rubio, “Security guarantees can be arranged in a way that works for everyone.” Yet, he acknowledged that bigger obstacles remain—namely whether the two sides are even close enough to negotiate meaningfully in the short term.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands remain firm. He insists that Ukraine must abandon its NATO ambitions, reduce the size of its army, and cede control of four disputed regions. Kyiv considers those demands unacceptable.
Rubio admitted that a peace deal would be difficult to achieve, but said the U.S. needed quick signs that compromise was possible.
“We’re not expecting a deal in 12 hours,” Rubio said. “But we do want to know soon—within days—if there’s enough common ground to keep going.”
If not, Trump may choose to end the peace initiative altogether and shift focus to other foreign policy matters. The final decision could come as early as next week.
