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By MARK NICOL, DIPLOMACY EDITOR Published: 22:51 BST, 18 April 2025 | Updated: 22:52 BST, 18 April 2025
Donald Trump threatened to pull out of peace talks over the war in Ukraine last night unless a deal is struck.The US President claimed America would walk away unless there were clear signs a truce can be reached.He said in the White House: ‘It is coming to a head right now. We want to get it done. We are talking about people dying, on average 2,500 young people [per day] have been killed in battle‘We want to save these lives. If, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we’re just going to say you’re fools, you’re horrible people.‘We’re just going to have to take a pass. But hopefully we won’t have to do it. We want to see it end. Think of it, every day a lot of people are being killed. As they [representatives of Ukraine and Russia] play games. We are not going to take that.‘We’ll see. I think we have a good chance of solving the problem.’More than a month has passed since Ukraine agreed a 30-day ceasefire, which Russia refused to countenance. Yesterday one person was killed and more than 100 injured in a Good Friday missile strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.Mr Trump’s threat echoed remarks made earlier yesterday by US secretary of state Marco Rubio. Donald Trump threatened to pull out of peace talks over the war in Ukraine last night unless a deal is struck More than a month has passed since Ukraine agreed a 30-day ceasefire, which Russia refused to countenance. Yesterday one person was killed and more than 100 injured in a Good Friday missile strike on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city Firefighters work at the site of a garment production factory hit by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in KharkivHe suggested the US had ‘other priorities’ to focus on’ and would not ‘continue with this endeavour for weeks and months on end’.Mr Rubio said: ‘We need to determine very quickly now – and I’m talking about a matter of days – whether or not this is doable.‘If it’s not going to happen, then we’re just going to move on.’Previously, US officials had pencilled in Easter Sunday as a target for a truce to be in place. It was chosen because this year the festival falls on the same day in the Christian and Eastern Orthodox calendars.US officials have offered Russia financial incentives to get a ceasefire over the line, including an immediate relaxation of economic sanctions, according to reports.Mr Rubio was speaking in Paris after lengthy talks with Ukrainian and European officials, including UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The US secretary of state is expected to attend further negotiations due to take place in London next week.These talks are taking place amid growing European concerns of Mr Trump’s readiness to draw closer to Russia. And his economic advisers have been talking up the benefits for the US of restarting business relations with Russia.Diplomatic efforts led by Mr Trump’s peace envoy Steve Witkoff – who has met Putin three times in recent weeks – appear to have achieved no concessions. Mr Trump’s threat echoed remarks made earlier yesterday by US secretary of state Marco RubioOn the presidential campaign trail, Mr Trump boasted repeatedly that he could end the war in a single day.Addressing reporters in the Oval Office yesterday, he added: ‘Nobody is playing me. I am trying to help.‘My whole life has been one big negotiation and I know when people are playing us and when they’re not.‘I have to see an enthusiasm to want to end it. I think I see that enthusiasm. I think I see it from both sides.’
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Donald Trump threatens to walk away from peace talks if deal isn’t struck, but says ‘we have a good chance of solving the problem’
