Bloomberg: US patience on Ukraine resolution running thin, faces imminent breakdown

As the war in Ukraine drags on, the US tolerance for prolonged inaction on a resolution is rapidly waning.

With diplomatic efforts showing little progress and tensions escalating, Washington’s patience is nearing its breaking point, raising questions about the future of international engagement in the conflict, Caliber.Az reports via Bloomberg.

For the first time in three years, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met face-to-face in Istanbul on May 16, though prospects for a meaningful resolution to the war remain dim. The negotiations bring together two sides with starkly different agendas. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a delegation led by the same aide who headed talks in Istanbul in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At that time, the Kremlin claimed Kyiv had accepted a draft agreement outlining Moscow’s conditions for halting the war—an assertion Ukrainian officials continue to dispute. The signal from Moscow is clear: Putin wants to resume negotiations where they left off. Ukraine’s delegation, by contrast, is led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and includes senior military officials. Their primary objective is to secure a ceasefire that could open the door to broader peace talks.

So far, Putin has rejected US and European calls for a 30-day truce, as Russian forces continue to hold a tactical advantage on the battlefield. Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's public challenge for a direct meeting, Putin has given no indication he will join the talks in person.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, who is concluding a tour of the Middle East, offered a blunt assessment of the diplomatic prospects, telling reporters: “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.” The Kremlin appears to agree, viewing a summit between Putin and Trump as essential to reaching a comprehensive settlement. Yet no concrete plans for such a meeting have emerged. Trump said that he would meet with the Russian leader “as soon as we can set it up.” Whether today’s talks mark the start of a genuine diplomatic process or simply another failed attempt remains to be seen. Observers caution that a breakdown could trigger a strategic shift by Washington.

The Trump administration has warned that its willingness to continue diplomatic engagement is not unlimited. A collapse in Istanbul may serve as the final straw—potentially prompting the US to disengage from mediation efforts altogether.

By Naila Huseynova