US Considers New Measures Against Russia Amid Stalled Peace Talks

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the United States is looking into further options to apply pressure on Russia. This comes as peace negotiations have not shown significant advancements.

In a conversation on Fox News with Brian Kilmeade, Rubio noted that discussions with key members of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s team have yet to yield any results.

“Earlier this week, on Monday or Tuesday, we had a talk with some of Putin’s top advisors, hoping to find some common ground for peace, but there’s been no real progress,” he explained.

The recent round of peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia wrapped up quickly, lasting under an hour. While a ceasefire was not established, there was agreement on a prisoner exchange involving around 1,200 individuals.

Rubio cautioned that Putin “will not wait forever” to initiate a ceasefire. He mentioned that if President Trump doesn’t commit to a ceasefire in the next 50 days, discussions that took place in Istanbul for over a week will become moot, especially after Trump threatened to impose “very harsh tariffs” on Putin.

When asked about potential US measures, Rubio suggested that secondary sanctions on Russian oil exports, which make up a significant part of the country’s revenue, as well as stronger banking sanctions, are on the table. “Our aim is still to avoid escalations and find a way to end the fighting. That’s what we hope for,” he said.

He added, “We’ve explored a few different options, but the most effective path forward would be to cease hostilities and begin dialogue. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been genuine interest from the Russian side to pursue that yet.”

Earlier this month, Trump declared that he would send “billions” in military aid to Ukraine through NATO, aiming to intensify pressure on Russia to conclude the war.

“We’re still open to participating in discussions if opportunities arise. But clearly, the President won’t wait indefinitely,” Rubio commented.