“There’s a lot of fake news about my comments. Here is the truth: As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, if there is no progress on talks between Russia and Ukraine toward a concrete solution, the United States will take a step back as mediator,” Bruce wrote.
She emphasized that any decision to step away would ultimately come from President Donald Trump.
“If and when that happens will be a decision of the President,” she said. “We are pushing both parties to deliver real progress.”
On May 1, Bruce initially stated that Washington no longer planned to serve as a mediator between Moscow and Kyiv, urging both sides to enter direct dialogue. However, the following day in an interview with Fox News, she walked back that statement, denying that the U.S. was pulling out of the peace process.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance also weighed in, saying there remains a “huge gulf” between the positions of Russia and Ukraine. He said that in the next 100 days of the Trump presidency, efforts will be made to bring the sides closer together.
Vance added that, in his view, the war in Ukraine is unlikely to end anytime soon.
Previously, Trump administration officials said the United States would withdraw from the negotiation process if Ukraine and Russia refuse to make territorial concessions.