Trump warns US may stop mediating talks between Russia and Ukraine if no progress is made

The United States could abandon its role as mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine if peace negotiations show no concrete progress in the coming days, President Donald Trump warned during an interview aired Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press program. The warning marks a pressure point in a diplomatic process that, after three years of war, remains stalled.

"I do believe we're closer with one party. And maybe not as close with the other, but we'll have to see," Trump said, without specifying which one he was referring to. However, he explained that the U.S. has no intention of remaining at the dialogue table indefinitely if the parties show no real willingness to reach an agreement. "There will be a time when I will say, Okay, keep going, keep being stupid," he added. The president believes that the "tremendous hatred" between the two sides could make a negotiated solution impossible, although he remains hopeful of reaching an agreement.

Growing frustration in Washington

The statement comes against a backdrop of growing frustration in Washington over the prolongation of the conflict. Trump acknowledged the enormous human cost of the war, estimating that approximately 5,000 soldiers die each week, though he stressed that it is not U.S. military personnel. "I want to solve the problem," he insisted, but admitted that the enmity between the leaders and armed forces of both countries could make peace "perhaps impossible."

The president also recently questioned the commitment of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to a peaceful exit. "There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities, and towns over the last few days," he wrote on social media, suggesting that Moscow is not acting with the intention of ceasing the conflict.

Mixed signals and parallel moves

Trump's stance seems reinforced by statements from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who last week deemed it "foolish" to set deadlines for U.S. withdrawal from the talks. Nevertheless, Rubio admitted that this would be "a very critical week" to assess the future of the mediation process.