Kallas presses Rubio on Russia at G7: “When will your patience run out?”

A tense exchange broke out between Kaja Kallas and Marco Rubio during a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on Friday, underscoring growing strains between the United States and its European allies over how to handle the war in Ukraine, according to three officials who were present.

The confrontation took place during a discussion on Ukraine, where Kallas — known for her hawkish stance on Russia and her previous role as Estonia’s prime minister — challenged Washington over what she described as insufficient pressure on Moscow. According to the sources, cited by Axios, she reminded Rubio of remarks he had made at the same forum a year earlier, when he warned that the US would lose patience and take stronger action if Russia obstructed efforts to end the war.

“A year has passed and Russia hasn't moved,” Kallas told Rubio, according to those in the room. “When is your patience going to run out?”

Rubio reacted sharply, appearing visibly irritated. “We are doing the best we can to end the war. If you think you can do it better, go ahead. We will step aside,” he said, raising his voice. He added that while the US is engaging both sides diplomatically, it is providing support only to Ukraine in the form of weapons, intelligence and other assistance.

The exchange unfolded in front of other allied foreign ministers, several of whom stepped in afterward to stress that they still wanted Washington to continue its diplomatic efforts between Russia and Ukraine. According to one of the sources, Rubio and Kallas later spoke briefly on the sidelines in an attempt to ease tensions.

A State Department official downplayed the incident, describing it as “a frank exchange of views” and adding, “This is what diplomacy is for.” A spokesperson for Kallas declined to comment on the interaction.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Rubio rejected any suggestion that the discussion had turned confrontational. “These meetings are oftentimes about thanking America for the role we played... and appreciation for the mediating role we've tried to play in this war between Russia and Ukraine,” he said. “No one there screams or raises their voices or says anything negative.”

The episode reflects deeper unease among European leaders about US-led efforts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. Concerns have intensified in recent months, particularly as Washington’s focus has increasingly shifted toward tensions involving Iran. European officials have also been unsettled by US decisions to grant waivers allowing continued sales of Russian oil at rising prices.

Against that backdrop, a senior Ukrainian delegation travelled to Miami last weekend for talks with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on the state of the peace process. Ukrainian officials said the discussions yielded little progress and reinforced the impression that US attention is now largely concentrated on Iran rather than advancing negotiations to end the war.

By Tamilla Hasanova