Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking “some stoppage in fighting” between Russia and Ukraine to create an opportunity for peace negotiations.
Speaking ahead of a scheduled summit on Friday between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rubio emphasized the importance of a ceasefire. He expressed that the US is “hopeful” progress can be made.
“The longer these wars go on, the harder they are to end,” Rubio said, explaining that the duration of a conflict impacts which side holds leverage in negotiations. “That’s the reality of ongoing fighting, which is why a ceasefire is so critical.”
The top US diplomat noted that any lasting resolution would require addressing complex issues. “To achieve a peace, I think we all recognize there will have to be some conversation about security guarantees, there’ll have to be some conversation about territorial disputes and claims,” he said, adding that a final agreement must be acceptable to both Ukraine and Russia.
Echoing sentiments from the President, Rubio suggested the potential for a breakthrough would be apparent early in the meeting. Trump has also stated he believes he can gauge the likelihood of progress within the first few minutes of meeting his Russian counterpart.
Rubio mentioned that summit preparations were “going very fast because this was put together very quickly.”
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