United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized the importance of bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table for potential peace talks with Ukraine, according to ABC News.
Security Assurances Depend on Peace
Speaking with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s weekly news show, Rubio stated that any security guarantees for Ukraine would only hold value if peace is established first.
“Well, the security guarantees—which I actually like to call deterrence—are all contingent upon there being peace. Everybody is saying security guarantees to secure the peace. You first have to have a peace. We don’t even know if peace is possible.”
He further noted that Ukrainian officials were made aware of this stance multiple times, emphasizing that the U.S. strategy is focused on getting Putin to negotiate.
Tensions Between Ukraine and U.S. Leaders
Rubio also addressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s actions during his Oval Office meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday. He criticized Zelenskyy for challenging Vice President JD Vance on diplomatic efforts:
“That’s what Zelenskyy did, unfortunately. He found every opportunity to try to Ukraine-splain on every issue, then he confronts Vice President JD Vance. When the Vice President says the goal here is diplomacy, he immediately jumps in and challenges the Vice President—well, what kind of diplomacy?”
Comparing U.S. Approaches to Ukraine and Israel
Rubio also compared the Biden administration’s approach to Ukraine and Israel, questioning why Washington applied more pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire than on Putin for peace negotiations:
“The Biden administration berated Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israelis, put all kinds of conditions and pressure on them to try to get a ceasefire. In this particular case, we’ve been nice by comparison. And all we’re trying to do here is figure out whether peace is possible.”
Call for a Negotiated Settlement
Rubio acknowledged that negotiating with Putin would be difficult but maintained that the process must begin to explore possibilities for a lasting peace:
“We all understand that Putin is not going to be an easy negotiator in this regard. But we have to start the process to see if something is even possible.”
Ending his remarks, Rubio urged all parties to at least attempt to find a diplomatic solution:
“Shouldn’t we at least try to see if there is a way to end this war in a way that’s acceptable to both sides and is enduring and sustainable?”