Diplomatic source: US focus on Iran puts Ukraine negotiations “on pause”

The prospects for resuming negotiations on Ukraine are closely tied to developments surrounding Iran, with the United States currently preoccupied by the Middle East conflict, according to a diplomatic source cited by TASS.

The source said Washington is “absolutely not in a position right now to pursue a peaceful settlement in Ukraine,” arguing that the United States is “up to its ears stuck in Iran” and has “essentially put the Ukrainian negotiations on pause.”

According to the same source, the trajectory of the Iran-related conflict will be a decisive factor in determining when, or whether, substantive diplomatic engagement on Ukraine can resume.

“Until the Iranian conflict reaches some kind of logical conclusion, and it is absolutely impossible to predict when that will happen: it could be tomorrow, or it could be in several months — until that happens, it will be difficult for the Americans to actively engage in other major international dossiers,” the source said.

By Tamilla Hasanova