Donald Trump has said the US could “take a pass” on Ukraine peace talks if Moscow or Kyiv “make it very difficult”, but added he thought there was a “good chance” of succeeding.
He also said negotiations are “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the grinding war.
Sir Keir Starmer discussed Ukraine with the US President in a phone call on Friday, Downing Street said, but did not give further details.
It came as the United States warned it will “move on” from ceasefire discussions between Russia and Ukraine if meaningful progress is not made in the coming days.
Speaking from Paris on Friday morning, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration would abandon its efforts to broker peace between the two nations unless a breakthrough emerges soon.
Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that “Marco is right in saying … we want to see it end”.
“If for some reason one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re going to say you’re fools, you’re foolish, and we’re just going to take a pass,” he said.
But he added he believes there is “a good chance of solving the problem”.
Asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin was dragging his feet on negotiations, Trump replied: “I hope not.”
Rubio had said: “I think from the US perspective, we've spent three years, billions of dollars supporting the Ukrainian side, but now we've reached a point where we have other things we have to focus on.
“We’re prepared to be engaged in this as long as it takes, but not indefinitely, not without progress. If this is not possible, we’re going to need to move on.
“I think the President feels strongly that we’ve dedicated a tremendous... We’ve done more in 80 days than Biden ever did to bring this war to an [end]. So we’ve dedicated almost the entirety of the President’s first hundred days in office at the highest levels possible, to trying to achieve a peace here.
“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. If it is, we’re in. If it’s not, then we have other priorities to focus on as well.”
The remarks came as President Trump said a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is “close”, and that America is awaiting a formal response from Moscow.
On Friday, Ukraine and the United States signed a memorandum of intent on a new minerals and rare earths partnership, which Ukraine’s Minister for the Economy said would pave the way for further US military aid.
The agreement, expected to be finalised next week, will allow the US to earn profits from rare minerals extracted from Ukrainian soil in exchange for continued defence support. The Trump administration has characterised the deal as a form of “repayment” for the financial and military assistance it has already provided to Ukraine.
Tensions between Washington and Kyiv appeared to escalate this week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, of spreading Russian propaganda following a four-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Zelensky said: “The US envoy Steve Witkoff was spreading Russian narratives,” in reference to the talks.
Witkoff also attended a peace summit in Paris on Thursday alongside Secretary Rubio and diplomats from Britain, Germany, France, and Ukraine.
During a joint press conference at the White House with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump was asked about his relationship with Zelensky. He said he did not blame the Ukrainian president for the war, but added: “I’m not a big fan.”
"I don't hold Zelensky responsible, but I'm not exactly thrilled with the fact that that war started,” Trump said. “And, so I'm not happy with him, and I'm not happy with anybody involved.
"I'm not blaming him, but what I am saying is that I wouldn't say he's done the greatest job. Okay? I'm not a big fan."
Zelensky also claimed Ukraine had obtained evidence that China has supplied Russia with artillery and gunpowder — an allegation likely to add further strain to the already tense international climate.
