A state department official announced that the US will no longer intervene between Russia and Ukraine, leaving the two countries to figure out how to end the war on their own. Tammy Bruce stated that US envoys would no longer travel around the globe “at the drop of a hat” to serve as intermediaries in peace talks. She emphasised that it was now “between the two parties” to come up with concrete ideas for ending the conflict, though the US would still remain committed to providing support. Bruce also mentioned that the US was changing its approach to contributing to the conflict, stating, “We will not be the mediators.” 

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance had earlier cautioned that they could abandon peace talks if there were no improvement in the ceasefire negotiations. On Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that there must be a “breakthrough towards peace very soon,” or President Trump would have to choose how long the U.S. would commit to the conflict. “This is not our war,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vice President Vance emphasised that it was now up to the Russians and Ukrainians, since “each side knows what the other's terms for peace are.” He told Fox News, “It's going to be up to them to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict.” 

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal indicated that a minerals deal signed with the United States this week would help strengthen Kyiv's air defence systems. The agreement is set to go before Ukraine's parliament on Thursday for a ratification vote. The deal will grant the US preferential access to investments in Ukraine's natural resource extraction and contribute funds for the country's reconstruction. Any additional military support could be considered part of the US contribution to a joint fund established under the agreement. “This agreement will allow us to better defend our country here and now, to better protect our skies thanks to American air defence systems,” Shmyhal stated.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the deal came from his “truly historic” meeting with Mr. Trump at the Vatican before Pope Francis’s funeral. On the battlefield, Russia claimed that its forces are continuing to establish a “security strip” in Ukraine’s Sumy region near the border, after pushing Ukrainian troops out of Kursk, which is just across the border. Ukraine has stated that its forces still control part of Kursk but are concerned about the potential for a Russian advance into Sumy. Russian President Vladimir Putin had mentioned in March that Russia aims to create a buffer zone in Sumy to prevent Ukrainian advances. In any potential peace agreement, Ukraine insists it will not give up any territory and seeks strong security guarantees against future attacks, possibly including peacekeepers, which Russia opposes. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine not join NATO and also wants Kyiv to reduce its military forces significantly.

Downing Street approved the economic agreement signed between Ukraine and the US, following Foreign Secretary David Lammy's statement that the UK’s support for Kyiv remains unwavering. The deal, signed on Wednesday, is expected to grant the US access to Ukraine's mineral resources, while offering President Zelensky some reassurance about continued US backing for Kyiv. Earlier in April, the deal seemed in jeopardy when President Trump publicly criticised Zelensky and removed him from the White House.