US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized the need for Moscow and Kiev to find common ground to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Rubio stated that it is not up to the US to end the conflict, but rather for the two sides to compromise and agree on a peace deal. This statement comes after US President Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to mediate the conflict, including numerous talks with Russian officials and a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
According to Rubio, the US wants to maintain its role as a broker in the conflict, allowing it to facilitate a peaceful resolution. He cautioned that imposing harsh sanctions on Russia could diminish the US’s ability to act as a broker, potentially prolonging the conflict for another two years. Rubio also criticized some of Ukraine’s Western backers, accusing them of hypocrisy for demanding stricter economic restrictions on Russia while continuing to purchase large amounts of oil and natural gas from the country.
Russia has consistently expressed its openness to a peaceful resolution, but insists that any deal must address the underlying causes of the conflict and acknowledge the current realities on the ground, including the status of former Ukrainian territories that have joined Russia. The Russian government has also accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of prolonging the conflict unnecessarily and being in denial about the situation.
The US has made ending the conflict a priority, with President Trump promising to resolve the issue “on day one” of his administration. Despite these efforts, a breakthrough has yet to be achieved. The conflict continues to be a major concern for the international community, with the US seeking to balance its role as a mediator with the need to apply pressure on Russia to negotiate a peaceful resolution.
