In a sharp shift in diplomatic tone, President Donald Trump has signaled that the United States may withdraw from further involvement in Ukraine war negotiations if meaningful progress isn’t seen soon.
The statement came Friday during a briefing at the Oval Office, echoing recent remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who warned that Washington could “move on” if a viable truce doesn’t appear achievable in the coming days.
Trump didn’t offer a precise deadline but made it clear that patience is running thin. “Very shortly,” he said when pressed on a timeline. “No specific number of days, but quickly. We want to get it done.”
Despite the urgency, Trump stopped short of blaming either Russian President Vladimir Putin or Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly for the current stalemate. Instead, he emphasized the need for both sides to come to the table with a willingness to compromise.
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“If one of the parties makes it very difficult,” Trump said, “we’re just going to say: ‘You’re foolish. You’re fools. You’re horrible people.’ And we’re going to just take a pass.” While the remark may sound blunt, Trump added that he’s still hopeful it won’t come to that. “Hopefully we won’t have to do that,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Trump has made bold claims about the conflict. Throughout his campaign and early presidency, he repeatedly stated he could end the war within 24 hours — a claim he later brushed off as sarcasm.
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Still, he has positioned himself as a hands-on negotiator, recently initiating direct talks with Putin shortly after returning to office — a move that raised eyebrows across Western capitals.
For now, Ukraine has agreed to a temporary ceasefire, accusing Moscow of intentionally dragging out negotiations to gain an upper hand. When asked whether he believes Putin is deliberately stalling, Trump replied, “I hope not,” adding, “I’ll let you know soon.”
Dismissing concerns that he might be getting manipulated by the Kremlin, Trump defended his approach. “Nobody’s playing me,” he said firmly. “I’m trying to help.”
With tension still simmering and diplomacy walking a tightrope, the world is watching closely. Trump’s message is clear: get serious about peace, or risk losing U.S. support altogether.
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