The US has warned it may withdraw from ongoing efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia within days unless there are clear signs of progress, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington “won’t stay at the table indefinitely.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, April 18, 2025, following a summit in Paris with European counterparts, Rubio stressed that time was running out for a breakthrough.
“We need to determine very quickly now — and I’m talking about a matter of days — whether or not this is doable,” he said. “If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just going to move on.”
The stark ultimatum comes amid parallel efforts between Kyiv and Washington to seal a wide-ranging economic agreement, including a proposed investment fund for rebuilding Ukraine. The move, while economic in scope, is viewed by analysts as a significant diplomatic manoeuvre in the context of ongoing war and uncertain peace.
“We’re not going to continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end,” Rubio stated. “The U.S. has other priorities to focus on.”
The memorandum, signed virtually on Thursday by Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, outlines plans for an Economic Partnership Agreement to be finalised by 26 April.
“We are happy to announce the signing… which paves the way for the establishment of the Investment Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” Svyrydenko posted on X.
While the document doesn’t detail natural resource commitments, prior disclosures have hinted that the agreement could grant Washington influence over Ukraine’s energy sector, including oil, gas, and critical minerals. Trump earlier described it as “a minerals deal… I assume they’re going to live up to the deal.”
Ukraine, believed to contain a significant portion of Europe’s rare earth reserves, has drawn increasing interest from the U.S., particularly as tensions with Moscow remain unresolved.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to seek stronger U.S. backing. “A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine,” he warned at a European summit last month.
Peace negotiations were previously disrupted following a heated exchange between Trump and Zelensky at the White House in February.
– Additional reporting by BBC News
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