'Just trying to get answers': CNN host spars with State Dept. spox over Trump’s foreign policy

CNN host Pamela Brown sparred with State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce Wednesday over the lack of progress in the United States' negotiations with Russia and Ukraine for an end to the war.

When pressed to answer if the Trump administration's Ukraine plan is failing, Bruce said ,"It's not a debate on television."

"It's a discussion between the men and women who have an impact on this and can make decisions, and again, you'll hear these leaders say things independently and op-eds or, or to television anchors," Bruce said.

"But what matters is when they sit down and this is has been happening and it's going to continue to happen," she continued.

The host then asked the spokesperson how long the back-and-forth between the leaders will continue. "The secretary has said it will not go on forever. It will not go on for months," she replied.

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The spokesperson added that negotiations and conversations of this nature are not something meant to discuss on television and "speculate about."

The host then pointed out that Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have recently made comments indicating they are willing to walk away from the negotiations. At this point, Bruce appeared to avoid the questions and accused the host of trying to get high ratings for her show by staying focused on the Russia-Ukraine issue.

"But for for you, I know you want to have a sense of what ratings might be or pulling people in," Bruce said.

"No, it's not that. We're just trying to get answers for our viewers," the host responded.

Earlier, the Vice President, in remarks delivered in India on Wednesday, urged Ukraine to consider an American peace proposal that closely aligns with longstanding Russian demands. This proposal includes freezing territorial boundaries established during the three-year conflict, recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea, and preventing Ukraine from joining NATO.

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This marks the first occasion a U.S. official has explicitly detailed a cease-fire agreement in this manner, and the remarks seemed aimed at intensifying pressure on Ukraine.

Amid this uncertainty, a crucial meeting in London intended to discuss ending Russia’s war in Ukraine was scaled down Wednesday following Rubio's announcement that he would not be attending the summit. This development has intensified the tensions between Washington and Kyiv regarding the future of territories occupied by Russia.

Rubio was expected to participate in the conversations alongside officials from Ukraine, the U.K., and Europe, but the State Department spokesperson announced on Tuesday that he would not be present due to “logistical issues.”

London’s Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday that the meeting would proceed at a reduced level. The department stated in a message to journalists, “Official level talks will continue but these are closed to media.”

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