In a firm and somewhat provocative stance, former US President Donald Trump has signalled that the United States could withdraw from Ukraine peace negotiations if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to agree to ceasefire terms.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump laid it out bluntly. “If for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say ‘you’re foolish, you’re fools, you’re horrible people,’ and we’re going to just take a pass,” he said. “But hopefully we won’t have to do that.”
Frustration Mounts Over Russia’s Delay
Trump’s remarks follow a diplomatic gathering in Paris involving Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff, French President Emmanuel Macron, and senior figures from Ukraine, Germany, and the UK. It was the first joint meeting of this nature — a signal of growing European involvement in ceasefire diplomacy.
Ukraine has already shown willingness, accepting both full and interim ceasefire proposals. Russia, however, continues to stall. While still largely adhering to a temporary 30-day truce focusing on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, it has yet to commit to anything permanent.
Rubio Supports Trump’s Position
Rubio backed Trump’s firm stance during a post-meeting press briefing in Paris. He said the administration is prepared to change course if diplomatic efforts stall completely.
“If we’re so far apart, this won’t happen, then the president is ready to move on,” Rubio explained.
“We’re not going to continue to fly all over the world and do meeting after meeting after meeting if no progress is being made. We’re going to move on to other topics that are equally, if not more important, in some ways to the United States.”
The message is clear: no more endless rounds of diplomacy without results.
Tariff Threats Remain on the Table
There’s also the looming possibility of economic retaliation. Trump has already floated the idea of secondary sanctions targeting Russian oil exports, should Putin remain uncooperative.
In a recent NBC interview, Trump voiced his anger over Russia’s lack of engagement in ceasefire discussions.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault — which it might not be — but if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on oil, on all oil coming out of Russia,” he warned.
“That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil.” When pressed for a deadline, Trump declined to offer specifics. But he made one thing clear: “Quickly — we want to get it done,” he stressed.
The Trump-Ukraine ceasefire ultimatum marks a turning point in US foreign policy rhetoric. The former president is signalling that America’s patience isn’t limitless — and that cooperation from Russia is no longer optional if peace is to be achieved.
With Ukraine already on board and Europe rallying behind a resolution, all eyes are now on Moscow. Should Putin fail to respond, Trump appears ready to pivot, leaving Russia and potentially Europe to take the lead on what remains of the path to peace.
