Marco Rubio says US will pause Ukraine-Russia peace negotiations if no progress: ‘We have other priorities’

In an attempt to press on both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, Rubio stated after a meeting with officials from the warring nations, "So we need to determine very quickly now, and I’m talking about a matter of days, whether or not this is doable in the next few weeks," per the Wall Street Journal.

"If it is, we’re in. If it’s not, then we have other priorities to focus on," he added. Rubio told reporters that both nations were presented with a deal in order to bring peace and also told European countries what the deal might look like.

The meeting with officials from Russia and Ukraine comes as France said that it would be hosting a meeting in the UK next week with Ukrainian, Russian, and US officials in order to iron out details for the peace talks. The Secretary of State indicated that the US will only attend if there is progress towards peacemaking.

Ukraine has previously said that it will install a ceasefire if Russia agrees to do the same, however, the Kremlin has not moved to do so and has said that the "root causes" of the war need to be taken care of if there is a ceasefire.

President Donald Trump has also been pressuring Putin to give in to a ceasefire arrangement. Last week, Trump posted on Truth Social, "Russia has to get moving. Too many people are DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war - A war that should have never happened, and wouldn't have happened, if I were President!!!"

He has also said that he is "pissed off" with Putin as Russia has not been willing to bring a pause in the war. This comes after Trump, as well as Vice President JD Vance, met with Zelensky in the White House in a contentious meeting, which eventually led to the Ukrainian leader offering to agree to a ceasefire if Russia also accepted the terms.