‘Meat Grinder’: US Says No Talks With Russia Until Ceasefire in Ukraine

US President Donald Trump has made it clear that the only topic on the table in any talks with Russia is a ceasefire in Ukraine, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said during a press briefing on Thursday, April 11.

Asked whether the latest US-Russia prisoner swap could be seen as a positive sign of Moscow’s willingness to negotiate on Ukraine, Bruce said:

“The President’s been very clear that there is one thing on the table with Russia, which is the ceasefire; there is no other dynamic that’s going to be addressed or facilitated until that is dealt with.”

Bruce told reporters that with Russia continuing to reject the US-brokered ceasefire deal – nearly a month after Ukraine agreed to its terms – Washington sees no alternative path forward until the fighting stops.

“I think everyone understands the perspective is that President Trump is directly involved in this,” she said in response to Kyiv Post’s question about Russia’s reluctance to adhere to a ceasefire. “We have the best diplomats in the world, led by Secretary Rubio, and both the President and Secretary Rubio have made it clear what’s at stake when it comes to the nature of this situation ending.”

Bruce emphasized that the war cannot be resolved on the battlefield.

“It is a meat grinder,” she said. “Nothing else can be discussed for the outcome until the shooting and the killing stops.”

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Bruce also pointed to recent comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said during a NATO press conference that the coming weeks would reveal whether Moscow was negotiating in good faith.

“Russia needs to take that seriously. This is not going to go on for six months or a year or anything else.”

She reiterated that while the US remains committed to diplomacy, saying “The President has also made it clear we want diplomacy. But the fact is, is that we’re watching and judging as this process continues.”

Bruce also said she was not aware of any instructions given to US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink – who is stepping down after a lifetime of diplomatic service and nearly three years in Kyiv – to avoid directly naming Russia in recent statements about the war, following Kyiv Post’s question on the matter.

“I wouldn’t speak to anything regarding that… So no, that’s not something I’m going to speculate about or guess at or speak to,” she said.