Rubio hints at US exit if Ukraine peace deal stalls

Context

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the U.S. may “move on” from trying to secure a Russia-Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress in the coming days, after months of efforts have failed to bring an end to the fighting

• He spoke in Paris after landmark talks among U.S., Ukrainian and European officials produced outlines for steps toward peace and appeared to make some long-awaited progress. A new meeting is expected next week in London, and Mr. Rubio suggested that could be decisive in determining if the Trump administration continues its involvement.

• Mr. Rubio’s comments stepped up pressure on both sides to reach a peace deal, even as the U.S. and Ukraine made progress on a minerals agreement that Mr. Trump has sought to recoup billions of dollars in military aid that Washington sent Kyiv since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.

Basis of Russia – Ukraine tensions

• Ukraine & Russia were a part of the USSR and share hundreds of years of cultural, linguistic & familial links.

• Among the former USSR nations, Ukraine was the 2nd most powerful nation after Russia.

• The relations between the two nations were cordial from the dissolution of the USSR up until recently.

• Tensions between the two nations began in late 2013 over Ukraine’s landmark political & trade deal with the European Union.

• Majority of the Ukrainians were angry with the then pro-Russia President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union instead of the EU.

• Their protests were known as the Euromaidan movement.

• It saw massive clashes between the protesters and security forces that reached their peak in 2014 and led to the ouster of Yanukovych.

• Soon after, amid fears of growing Western influence in Ukraine, Russia decided to act by invading Crimea, which was a part of Ukraine.