US ready to abandon Ukraine peace deal if there is no progress, says Marco Rubio

Secretary of state threatens to pull plug within days', as Kyiv says it has signed mineral deal memorandum

The US will abandon its efforts within days" to broker a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine unless there are clear signs a settlement can be reached, the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has said, as Kyiv says it has signed a memorandum with the US over a controversial minerals deal.

Speaking in Paris on Friday after meeting European and Ukrainian leaders, Rubio said Donald Trump was still interested in a deal. But he added that the US president had many other priorities around the world and was willing to move on" unless there were signs of progress.