US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has questioned the US's role in mediating peace talks in Ukraine. What does Washington expect from Moscow and Kiev?
The US will abandon attempts to mediate a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine within days if there are no clear signs that a ceasefire can be reached, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned. "We are not going to continue this for weeks and months", Rubio said, adding that the US has "other priorities to focus on".
After meeting with European leaders in Paris on Thursday, Rubio said it was necessary to determine very quickly whether a ceasefire could become a reality. The US Secretary of State specified that this should happen in the short term, and if not - "we will just move on”. According to him, it is clear that it will be difficult to conclude a peace agreement, but there should be signs that this can happen soon.
First step towards a deal on rare earth metals
The comments come just hours after Ukraine took the first step towards signing an agreement on rare earth metals with Washington. According to the memorandum distributed by the Ukrainian government, as part of economic cooperation between the two countries, an investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine will also be created. The goal is to finalize the deal by April 26.
The memorandum says that "the American people want to invest with the Ukrainian people in a free, sovereign and secure Ukraine" and that the United States and Ukraine "want lasting peace in Ukraine and a lasting partnership between the two peoples and governments".
Trump also hinted at the deal during a press conference with Italian leader Giorgia Meloni. "We have a minerals deal that I assume will be signed on Thursday... next Thursday. Soon. And I assume they will execute the deal. So we'll see. But we have a deal on that," he said. The White House did not respond to a request for more details about the content of the agreement, Reuters reported.
Security guarantees for Ukraine?
The United States has so far resisted providing Kiev with security guarantees to support a possible future ceasefire. The White House argues that the mere presence of American companies will deter Russia from further aggression, but that did not work when it invaded in 2022.
Zelensky has repeatedly called on the United States to take a stronger stance in support of Ukraine. "A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine," he said at a summit of European leaders last month.
Now, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiha said that he, along with Marco Rubio and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, had "discussed ways to achieve a just and lasting peace, including a full ceasefire, a multinational contingent, and guarantees for Ukraine's security."