Rubio provides details on Russia-Ukraine talks

The United States believes that the main obstacle to achieving peace in Ukraine is Russia’s demand to recognize control over regions it has no legal rights to, and that Ukraine cannot retake these areas by force. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the current deadlock in negotiations is based on the incompatible demands of the parties.

“The main issue in resolving the conflict in Ukraine is that Russia wants what it currently does not have and has no right to, while Ukraine wants to regain control over territories that, in Rubio’s view, cannot be achieved through military means,” Rubio said during a briefing.

According to Rubio, the primary obstacle to peace is the incompatible demands of the parties. Russia insists on recognizing control over territories it has held since 2022, including the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. At the same time, Ukraine seeks to restore control over these areas, which Rubio believes is impossible to accomplish.

Rubio highlighted that the United States is discussing the possibility of imposing additional sanctions on Russia if progress is not made in peace talks.

He stated that diplomatic channels remain open, but Washington’s patience is not unlimited. The U.S. secretary of state stressed the importance of negotiations and compromises between the two sides to achieve lasting peace.