bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

quizIds

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

paywallTypes

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

US President Donald Trump is running out of patience with Russia as he is trying to negotiate a ceasefire in Ukraine, Nato sources said on Friday.
Nato foreign ministers convened in Brussels for a second day to discuss strengthening the alliance’s defence capabilities, amid European fears of an expansionist Russia and questions about US support for the alliance.
Nato allies have been scrambling to demonstrate that they are listening to Trump’s complaints over unfair burden sharing within the alliance, while being effectively sidelined from his efforts to negotiate a peace deal with Moscow.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer, dpa learned from participants of the meeting.
He said it might be a matter of weeks rather than months, the participants said.
It remained initially unclear how the United States would respond if Putin continues on the same course, with new sanctions or further military aid for Ukraine considered possible options.


Trump has been trying to negotiate a ceasefire in the Ukraine war for weeks. Unlike Ukraine, Moscow has rejected a proposal for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.
During his election campaign, Trump first said he could end the war even before taking office – a claim he later walked back, saying it was a “bit sarcastic”.
Both sides have agreed to a limited halt on attacks on energy infrastructure, but also accuse each other of violating the agreement.
Several European Nato allies on Friday expressed understanding that Trump was losing patience.
“Putin continues to obfuscate, continues to drag his feet. He could accept a ceasefire now,” said British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Instead, he said, Putin continues to bomb Ukraine, its civilian population and its energy suppliers.
Russia owed the US an answer, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said.
Nato Secretary Mark Rutte again commended Trump for breaking “the deadlock” in the war launched by Russia on February 24, 2022, saying “I’m really impressed how the Americans are conducting those talks.”
Now “the ball is in the Russian court”, he added.
The US was keeping Ukraine and the European allies “very much updated of what they are doing and what is happening”, Rutte said.

Following a much more tumultuous Nato meeting in February, during which US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told allies that Nato membership for Ukraine was “unrealistic” and that it would be up to them to provide security guarantees in case a peace deal is reached, Rubio had a more conciliatory message in tow.
Attending a Nato foreign ministers meeting for the first time, Rubio on Thursday said that Trump remains committed to Nato and the United States is “as active” as it has ever been.
However, he also stressed the need for a clear “pathway” for allies, including the US, to hike their defence contributions to up to 5 per cent of gross domestic product, reiterating a long-standing demand by Trump.
Nato allies welcomed Rubio’s pledge of commitment to the alliance, with British Secretary of State David Lammy saying “it was important to hear … that the Americans are in”.
But signals were less clear when it came to the US spending call, which is considered to be unrealistic by many allies.
North Macedonian Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski said Washington was “absolutely right that we need to take our burden of responsibility for peace and security”.
While there was need to continue investments in defence production, “5 per cent might not be achievable overnight”, he added.
The US does not meet the 5 per cent target, having spent 2.7 per cent of GDP on defence in 2024, according to US Department of Defense figures.
Outgoing German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock stressed that European allies are playing their part to ensure that Nato remains a viable alliance capable of ensuring that Ukraine can withstand the Russian onslaught.
“In my view, there has never been such a meeting of unity and, above all, of clear commitments and not just words, but also further pledges of financial support to Ukraine in this form in the last three years here at Nato,” Baerbock said on the sidelines of the meeting.
She noted that recent defence spending pledges from Nato allies including Germany mean all European partners are on a path to spending more than 3 per cent of GDP on defence.
Germany and France are currently spending just over the current Nato target of at least 2 per cent of GDP, while Spain and Italy remain significantly below that threshold.
Rutte has called for defence spending to be raised to “considerably north of 3 per cent”, with a decision expected to be made at the next Nato summit in June.


Malaysia’s Petronas CEO warns of ‘polycrisis’ engulfing energy market with Israel-Iran war

Trump orders major deportation expansion in Democratic cities

Trade worries drag Singapore’s home sales down to 5-month low

Chinese media rains on Trump parade, heat shield breakthrough: 5 weekend reads you missed

Donald Trump

Trump losing patience with Putin, US’ Marco Rubio tells Nato

At a Nato foreign ministers meeting in Brussels, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer. Photo: AFP

Ukrainian rescuers work at a residential building destroyed following a drone attack in Kharkiv on Friday. Photo: AFP

Marco Rubio says US committed to Nato but tells allies to spend more

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (right) and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a meeting of Nato’s ministers of foreign affairs, at Nato’s headquarters in Brussels on Thursday. Photo: AFP

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at Nato’s Brussels’ headquarters on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Finland President Alexander Stubb boosts ties with Trump with round of golf in Florida

US President Donald Trump waves to supporters as he leaves his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) listens to Finland’s President Alexander Stubb (second from left) during a meeting in Paris, France, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Kremlin says it’s working on Ukraine peace after Trump says he’s ‘angry’ with Putin

A combination photo shows (left to right)Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.Photo: AFP

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia will continue to work with the US. Photo: Reuters

Zelensky accuses Russia of prolonging Ukraine war amid ceasefire talks

A firefighter eliminates a fire in a damaged residential building following a drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo: AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: Ukrainian Presidency via dpa

The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh where Ukraine war talks were being held. Photo: AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Photo: Sputnik via EPA-EFE

A residential building in Kyiv, Ukraine, hit by a Russian drone strike. Photo: Reuters

News

World

United States & Canada

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer


US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump probably wouldn’t accept the Russian president’s delaying tactics much longer.
