After U.S. President Trump once again expressed disappointment over Russia's continued attacks on Ukraine, Secretary of State Rubio issued a warning that if there is no substantial progress in the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations, the United States may consider abandoning mediation efforts.
In an interview with reporters in New Jersey, Trump stated that despite Russia's continued assaults on Ukraine, he remains optimistic about Ukrainian President Zelensky's attitude. He mentioned that his one-on-one meeting with Zelensky at the Vatican went well and believes Zelensky has become more composed and may seek an agreement. Trump also expressed his anger over Russia launching missiles at civilian areas in Ukraine and questioned whether Putin genuinely intends to end the war.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio publicly stated that Russia and Ukraine must reach a substantial agreement quickly, or the U.S. will no longer continue investing time and resources into peace efforts. He emphasized that both parties must relinquish some of their demands through negotiation to prevent the war from escalating further.
Last week, Trump and Zelensky had a crucial meeting in Rome while attending Pope Francis's funeral, marking their first face-to-face interaction since their conflict began in February this year. Following this meeting, Trump openly condemned Russian President Putin, stating that Putin had no justification for firing missiles at Ukrainian civilian areas, and suggested the possibility of imposing stricter sanctions on Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov responded by stating that Russia's targets are not solely civilians but also locations used by the Ukrainian military. He also indicated that Russia will continue carrying out such military strikes.
Zelensky noted that although the international community has exerted pressure on Russia, the current pressure is clearly insufficient to end the war. His military commanders reported that Russia launched around 70 attacks on Sunday, further demonstrating that Russia's offensive stance has not weakened.
Rubio reiterated that the only way to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict is through negotiations, with both sides needing to make concessions. He pointed out that military means cannot resolve this war and that only through negotiations can a path be found to end the war and avoid the deaths of more innocent people.
