"At this point, there is no prospect of ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations," Rubio said
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that there is currently no prospect of resolving Russia’s war against Ukraine through negotiations. According to him, the conflict has reached a “strategic impasse,” from which there is no way out except through diplomatic means or further escalation.
According to the U.S. Secretary of State, Washington’s diplomatic efforts are currently yielding no results due to the principled positions of Russia and Ukraine on the territorial issue.
Rubio noted that Russia demands full control over the Donbas, while Ukraine considers this demand unacceptable.
“At present, there is no prospect for a negotiated settlement. We are ready to play whatever role we can to achieve this. We have tried to do this in the past, but so far this goal remains out of reach because the Russians are insisting on full control over the Donbas, a condition that Ukraine rejects as unacceptable,” he said.
At the same time, Marco Rubio assured that the U.S. is ready to continue playing a constructive role in the search for a diplomatic solution.
The U.S. Secretary of State also expressed concern about the possible escalation of the war and its spread beyond Ukraine’s borders.
According to him, there have recently been new attacks on ships in the Black Sea involving the use of drones.
“Just yesterday, there were new attacks on ships in the Black Sea in the form of a coordinated attack using unmanned aerial vehicles. We are concerned about the possibility of a sabotage operation in a neighboring country that could spiral out of control,” Rubio said.
Separately, Marco Rubio cited signs that Russia plans to take advantage of the approaching winter to launch attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
According to him, Moscow may attempt to destroy Ukraine’s power grid and thereby force Ukraine to surrender.
At the same time, Rubio pointed out that Ukraine has also strengthened its ability to launch long-range strikes deep into Russian territory.
The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized that Washington continues to monitor the risks of escalation and is ready to support the diplomatic process.
“We share the global concern about the possibility of the conflict escalating, which could affect other countries and possibly develop into a broader conflict. We remain ready to facilitate this process. And if any opportunity for a negotiated settlement arises—we truly believe that it will be in the interest of both Russia and Ukraine,” Rubio added.
Marco Rubio made these remarks in an interview with the Greek newspaper Kathimerini.
The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians—75%—are open to holding negotiations with Russia now to end the war. At the same time, 62% of those surveyed said they are prepared to endure the war for as long as necessary.
According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia is deliberately escalating the conflict ahead of potential negotiations with the U.S. He believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to provoke a response from Ukraine in order to secure a more advantageous position ahead of upcoming talks with the American side.
