Bangladesh, May 3 -- The United States remains committed to supporting peace efforts in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on May 2. His comments came in response to widespread speculation that Washington was preparing to pull out of its mediating role after a State Department spokesperson hinted at a potential withdrawal if negotiations remained stagnant.

At a routine State Department press briefing earlier that day, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce suggested that the US could “step back as a mediator” if talks between Moscow and Kiev failed to show tangible progress. Her comments triggered immediate concern among observers, with many interpreting the statement as a signal that t...