Bangladesh, May 2 -- In a major shift in its approach to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, the United States has officially declared it will no longer act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine. Speaking at a regular press briefing on May 1, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said it was now time for the two nations to take responsibility for negotiating their own peace proposals.

“We will not be the mediators,” Bruce stated firmly. “We certainly are still committed to the cause and will assist where we can, but we are not going to fly around the world at the drop of a hat to mediate meetings. Its time for both of the nations involved in this conflict to come up with concrete proposals about how this confl...