US State Department announces shift in approach to negotiations on Russia-Ukraine war

The US State Department has stated that Washington plans to change its approach to efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. While the United States will remain involved, it intends to take a less active role and will no longer act as a lead mediator.

The question to US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce initially concerned the possibility of new sanctions against those aiding Russia – a step Donald Trump has hinted at. 

In response, Bruce said Trump aims to act primarily through diplomacy and also "knows also that there is another part of the world, a whole globe that needs some attention".

She referred to recent remarks by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said the US would adjust its approach to its involvement in ending the war.

"...and the Secretary’s also made it very clear that while our style will change, the methodology of how we contribute to this will change in that we will not be the mediators. That is what I mentioned on Tuesday, and the nature of how this would change is we would not – we certainly are still committed to it and will help and do what we can. 

But we are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings, that it is now between the two parties, and now – now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end. It’s going to be up to them," she added.

On 29 April, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Washington would step back from its mediating role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict if there is no progress in peace efforts. 

Earlier, he said that the current week would be "critically important" in determining whether the US continues its efforts to stop the war.