Photo: © Brian Snyder / Reuters
The United States has warned that it may stop participating in peace talks aimed at resolving the war between Ukraine and Russia amid rising tensions and failures in diplomatic efforts. US Vice President J.D. Vance said that the White House is ready to “walk away” from the talks if both sides do not agree to the US-proposed deal soon, The Times reported .
Speaking to journalists during a visit to India, Vance stressed the urgency of the situation: “The United States has made a very clear offer to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say yes or for the United States to pull out of this process.” He acknowledged that the proposal would require Ukraine and Russia to cede some territory, which is likely to cause disputes.
The warning came after President Donald Trump’s team abruptly pulled out of a planned meeting in London with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The summit, which was supposed to help advance peace talks, was disrupted as Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff decided to travel to Moscow instead for a possible fourth meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The decision comes amid tense relations between the US and Ukrainian leaderships. In February, President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a heated exchange in the Oval Office. The meeting highlighted growing frustration with the pace of negotiations and differing visions of a solution to the conflict.
The US proposal, the details of which have not been disclosed, is likely to involve territorial compromises in which Ukraine and Russia would cede control over disputed territories. Such a plan is likely to face stiff resistance, especially from Ukraine, which has consistently rejected any agreement that legitimises Russia’s territorial gains.
As Vitkoff prepares for the talks in Moscow, the international community is watching closely. The disruption of the London summit and the US threats to withdraw have raised fears that diplomatic efforts to end the war, now in its third year, could fail completely. With thousands dead and millions displaced, the stakes for a breakthrough remain extremely high.
