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The United States announced Tuesday it will step back from its role as a mediator in the Russia-Ukraine conflict unless both parties present "concrete proposals" to end the war.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has made it clear that the U.S. can no longer continue to mediate without tangible steps from Kyiv and Moscow.
"How we proceed from here is a decision that belongs now to the president (Donald Trump). If there is no progress, we will step back as mediators in this process," Bruce said.
This ultimatum comes amid rising pressure from senior U.S. officials, including Trump, Rubio, and Vice President JD Vance, to push both Russia and Ukraine toward agreeing to a ceasefire.
Russia declared a temporary three-day truce from May 8-11 to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany during World War II. However, both Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have called for a permanent ceasefire to end the hostilities.
In a video message on Telegram, Zelenskyy condemned Russia's truce as a strategic manipulation to provide President Vladimir Putin with a temporary break for a parade.
"We value human lives, not parades," Zelenskyy stated, emphasizing that a genuine ceasefire should be immediate, full, and unconditional.
Zelenskyy further outlined that any ceasefire should last for at least 30 days to ensure security and create the conditions necessary for meaningful diplomacy.
He also highlighted ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as a major obstacle to peace.
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