State Dept: US will step back as mediator if Russia-Ukraine talks fail to yield results

The United States remains committed to its role as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, but that position could shift if there is no tangible progress in peace negotiations, a senior US official said on May 2.

Tammy Bruce, head of the US State Department’s press office, addressed the matter during a live appearance on Fox News, clarifying Washington’s current stance on its involvement in the conflict resolution process.

“At the moment, our position remains the same,” Bruce said. “However, if there is no progress, that will change. And this change will concern our actions as a mediator. Nevertheless, we are not at that point yet.”

She emphasised that the United States would reassess its mediating role if negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv continue to stall.

“If there is no progress between the two sides, then we would step back as a mediator in this framework,” Bruce noted.

She responded to speculation in the media suggesting that such a move would mean the US is abandoning Ukraine or the broader peace effort. Bruce firmly rejected that interpretation.

“Some media have interpreted this as meaning that [the United States] would abandon Ukraine or walk away from the [peace] process, but that is not accurate,” she said.

“This does not mean we are abandoning our desire [to achieve] a ceasefire. Nor does it mean we are stepping away from doing what we can to assist within this framework or to help bring the conflict to a close overall,” Bruce reassured.

In support of her statement, Bruce referenced remarks made recently by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. She recalled that Rubio initially stated Washington would assess Russia’s seriousness “within weeks,” but that timeline had since accelerated.

“Then just a few days ago, he said this would happen within days,” she added, signalling growing impatience within the US administration over the lack of diplomatic progress.

Bruce concluded by underlining that any final decisions about altering America’s role will ultimately be made by President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio.

By Tamilla Hasanova