by Craig Nigrelli
May 2, 2025
Days after striking a deal with Ukraine involving rare earth minerals, the Trump administration appears to be conducting a major shift in diplomacy. Months after the president’s promise to end the Ukraine-Russia war, quickly after becoming president, the U.S. announced that it would no longer engage in what is often referred to as shuttle diplomacy between the two countries.
What is the State Department’s position?
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Thursday, May 1, that the U.S. will no longer be the “mediators” in these negotiations. She added that the methodology of how the U.S. contributes to peace talks will change.
Bruce said the administration remains committed to ending the war and will do what it can but will no longer “fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings. She added that these negotiations are “now between the two parties,” adding, “now is the time that they need to present and develop concrete ideas about how this conflict is going to end.”
“It’s going to be up to them,” Bruce said.
Prior signs
Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that the U.S. would not continue mediation efforts for weeks and months on end. He said that the United States would do what it could “on the margins” and would help whenever the two countries are ready to have peace. On Thursday night, during an interview with Fox News, Rubio told host Sean Hannity, “This is not our war,” and that what’s happening in China is more important in the long-term future of the world.
How is the minerals deal going to work?
As for the minerals deal, the Kyiv Post is reporting that the Trump administration has told Congress it intends to send $50 million worth of defense-related goods to Ukraine. In this case, the State Department would allow an American company to sell defense equipment directly to a foreign buyer without going through the Pentagon’s Foreign Military Sales program.
Newsweek reports that between 2015 and 2023, the U.S. OK’d the direct sale of more than $1.6 billion worth of defense goods to Ukraine, including more than $232 million in ammunition.
Meanwhile, the minerals deal calls for the United States and Ukraine to share the proceeds of sales of titanium, uranium, lithium and copper. Those minerals are used in the defense, energy and technology industries.
A joint fund would be divided 50/50 between the two countries, with some of the money going to the reconstruction of war-decimated Ukraine. The deal does not contain any language of debt obligations that the country owes the United States for its financial and weapons support during the war with Russia.
The Trump administration has called the minerals deal “historic” as it looks for financial security guarantees from Ukraine as peace negotiations to end the war drag on.
Why this story matters
The news story about the U.S. stepping back from its role as a mediator in Ukraine-Russia peace talks, following a minerals deal with Ukraine, matters as it signifies a shift in U.S. foreign policy that could impact the dynamics of the ongoing conflict.
US foreign policy shift
The U.S. decision to cease its active mediation role in Ukraine-Russia peace talks reflects a significant change in American diplomatic strategy, emphasizing direct negotiations between the conflicting parties and potentially altering the international diplomatic landscape.
Minerals deal implications
The minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine highlights the strategic importance of Ukraine’s natural resources and suggests economic interests may now intertwine more deeply with geopolitical considerations, affecting future alliances and support.
Conflict resolution dynamics
This development places the onus on Ukraine and Russia to produce tangible peace proposals, which could lead to either a breakthrough in negotiations or a prolonging of the conflict, depending on the parties’ willingness to compromise.
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Debunking
While there are conflicting reports regarding whether Trump has made specific demands to Zelenskyy about territorial concessions, his recent statements imply shifts in Ukraine’s stance towards negotiating compromises, which remain speculative and politically sensitive.
Global impact
This local development in Ukraine could reshape global mineral supply lines, especially as the U.S. seeks to diminish reliance on Chinese rare earth elements. The outcomes of the minerals deal might influence international alliances and economic strategies surrounding critical raw materials.
Policy impact
The decision to step back from mediation could set precedents for how U.S. foreign policy engages with conflicts that involve vital resources and territorial integrity. This change may influence how other nations perceive U.S. commitment to supporting allies in similarly contested regions.
Bias comparison
- Media outlets on the left frame the U.S. withdrawal from Ukraine peace talks as a negative retreat from diplomacy, using terms like “withdraws” and implying a reduction in efforts to resolve the conflict.
- Media outlets in the center use neutral language such as “step back” or “pulls out.”
- Media outlets on the right , particularly those mentioning Trump, interpret the move as a decisive action, potentially “to end war,” or emphasized an “ultimatum” being issued.
Timeline
US and Ukraine finalize long-delayed minerals deal
The United States and Ukraine have signed a minerals deal, the Treasury Department announced Wednesday, April 30. The agreement, originally set to be signed in February, was delayed following a tense Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in front of America’s press corps. Zelenskyy abruptly left Washington without a…
Trump aims for Ukraine peace deal in ‘two weeks or less’
President Donald Trump said he hopes to finalize a Russia-Ukraine peace agreement “in two weeks or less,” following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican over the weekend. The comments come as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a temporary ceasefire set to begin May 8. What did Trump and Zelenskyy discuss? Trump…
Ukraine agrees to minerals deal with US, Putin also proposes deal: Report
Ukraine has reportedly struck a deal with President Donald Trump over the U.S. securing an unknown quantity of mineral rights from the European country as “payback” for the hundreds of billions of dollars in aid it received amid the war with Russia. The New York Times reports that Ukrainian officials have agreed to turn some…
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