Marco Rubio: Russia cannot secure a ceasefire without Ukraine’s consent, just as the US cannot lift sanctions without Europe
The prospect of a face-to-face meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin depends on progress in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
“Such meetings do not take place without reason. We need to understand what will be discussed and what outcomes can be expected. The timing of the meeting largely depends on whether progress can be made in ending the conflict,” Rubio said in an interview with journalist Catherine Herridge.
He noted that the U.S. is engaged in dialogue with Russia to see whether Moscow is truly willing to engage in peace negotiations. “The president wants to know if the Russians are serious about ending the war and, if so, under what conditions. The only way to find this out is through dialogue,” the U.S. secretary of state said.
According to him, the U.S. is consulting with its allies, including European countries and Ukraine, and does not intend to make unilateral decisions. “The Ukrainians must be part of the process. Russia cannot secure a ceasefire without their consent, just as we cannot lift sanctions without Europe’s involvement. Every side must be engaged,” Rubio added. He noted that U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and in some cases, such criticism is justified. “President Trump is very dissatisfied with Zelenskyy’s behavior, and in some cases, rightly so. People forget that Joe Biden also had disagreements with Zelenskyy,” Rubio said.
He added that some of Zelenskyy’s statements have sparked anger in Washington. “We discussed the issue of mineral resources with him and proposed cooperation. He agreed and said he would present it to parliament, but two days later, he publicly announced that he was rejecting the idea.” According to the U.S. secretary of state, Trump’s stance on Ukraine remains unchanged, but he demands respect. “When instead of gratitude, accusations of disinformation are made, it is extremely counterproductive. Trump is not the kind of person who will tolerate that,” Rubio said. He added that the issue of lifting sanctions was not raised during the recent meeting with Russian officials in Riyadh, as discussions have not yet reached that stage.
