Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday said the United States remains the only actor capable of engaging both Russia and Ukraine to explore a negotiated end to the war.
“There’s only one nation on earth, there’s only one entity on Earth that can actually talk to both sides and figure out whether there’s a way to end this war peacefully,” Rubio said. “And that’s the United States.”
He said Washington has invested extensive time and senior-level engagement in the effort.
“President Trump has had more meetings on the war in Ukraine than any other subject, including trade,” he told reporters at his year-end news conference.
Rubio stressed that the US is not seeking to impose a settlement.
“This is not about imposing a deal on anybody,” he said. “It is about determining what both sides expect and need to have and what both sides are prepared to give in return.”
He said the administration is realistic about the challenges.
“We don’t see surrender anytime in the near future by either side and so only a negotiated settlement gives us the opportunity to end this war,” Rubio said.
According to Rubio, such a settlement would require compromises from both sides.
“A negotiated settlement requires two things, both sides to get something out of it and both sides to give something,” he said.
He said the final decisions would rest with the warring parties.
“The decision will be up to Ukraine and up to Russia. It will not be up to the United States,” Rubio said.
Rubio cautioned that progress would not be immediate.
“That takes a lot of time and a lot of hard work,” he said, adding that such efforts “can’t generally be done in the media and press conferences.”
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, triggering Europe’s largest conflict since World War II.
The war has drawn in extensive Western military, financial, and diplomatic support for Kyiv, while Moscow has deepened ties with countries opposed to US-led sanctions.
The conflict has reshaped global energy markets, European security architecture, and diplomatic alignments, with Washington continuing to frame the war as a test of international norms.
(IANS)
