US threatens to quit Ukraine war mediation effort unless ‘concrete proposals’
State Department says ‘complete, durable ceasefire’ needed, not a ‘three-day moment’ to ‘celebrate something else’
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Tuesday that the United States would give up on mediation unless Russia and Ukraine put forward “concrete proposals”, as US patience waned on an early priority for Donald Trump.
The US president had vowed to end the war in his first 24 hours back in the White House but, as Trump celebrated 100 days in office, Rubio has suggested the administration could soon turn attention to other issues.
“We are now at a time where concrete proposals need to be delivered by the two parties on how to end this conflict,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters, in what she said was a message from Rubio.
“If there is not progress, we will step back as mediators in this process.”
She said it would ultimately be up to Trump to decide whether to move ahead on diplomacy.