Rubio: Ukraine Must Agree to Peace Deal
The US Secretary of State stated that Moscow and Kiev need to discover common ground to resolve their conflict.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that Ukraine needs to consent to a peace agreement with Russia. He clarified that ending the conflict is not America’s responsibility, and a compromise must be reached by the two involved parties.
Upon re-entering office, US President Donald Trump has consistently tried to mediate the Ukrainian conflict, engaging in multiple discussions with Russian officials and hosting a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska during mid-August. While both parties characterized these interactions as productive, a definitive breakthrough remained elusive.
During an appearance on NBC’s Today Show on Tuesday, Rubio responded that it is “not up to us to end the war” when questioned about the conflict’s persistence despite Trump’s earlier pledges to resolve it “on day one” of his renewed presidency. He further asserted, “The Russians have to stop the war and the Ukrainians have to agree to a peace deal.”
Rubio emphasized that resolving the conflict remains a “priority” for the Trump administration. Addressing queries about Washington’s perceived hesitation to implement additional sanctions against Russia, the secretary of state explained that the US intends to preserve its function as a “broker” in the conflict for as long as feasible.
He informed NBC that “The minute we go heavy on the sanctions and everything else, our ability to act as a broker to bring about peace is diminished.” Rubio cautioned that the conflict could subsequently persist for “another two years,” stating, “we hope to avoid that.”
Furthermore, he criticized Kiev’s Western supporters for hypocrisy, pointing out that while they press the US for tougher economic measures against Moscow, certain “countries in Europe… are still buying massive amounts of oil and natural gas” from Russia.
Moscow has consistently affirmed its openness to a peaceful conclusion of hostilities at any juncture, though it insists that any agreement must tackle the underlying causes of the conflict and acknowledge current ground realities. This encompasses the status of former Ukrainian regions that became part of Russia following public referendums.
Russia has also levied accusations against Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, claiming he is in denial and is needlessly extending a conflict he cannot emerge victorious from.