Russia-Ukraine War: Both Sides Must Make Concessions – US
The U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that a lasting peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will only be possible if both sides are willing to make concessions.
Speaking on ABC’s ‘This Week’ on Sunday, Rubio said that President Donald Trump’s position on the conflict remains unchanged following his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
According to Rubio, America is still pushing for negotiations despite no immediate breakthrough.
“I don’t think the president’s mind has changed at all. If this whole effort doesn’t work out, then there will have to be additional consequences for Russia. But we are trying to avoid that by reaching a peace agreement,” he said.
Rubio acknowledged that progress was made during the Trump-Putin talks but cautioned against premature expectations.
He said, “We’re not at the precipice of a peace agreement. We’re not at the edge of one. But I do think progress was made.
“You can’t have a peace agreement unless both sides give and get. Otherwise, it’s just surrender, and neither side is going to surrender,” Rubio explained.
He emphasized that the administration’s goal is to end the war “as soon as possible,” but warned that if talks fail, Trump could impose further sanctions on Russia.
“Ultimately, at the end of the day, we have to get the Russian side to agree to things they don’t want to agree to if we’re going to have peace. If not, they’ll just keep killing each other, and life will go on in the rest of the world, but not for Ukraine,” he said.
Rubio also highlighted the importance of direct participation by Ukraine in any negotiations.
“You’re not going to reach a ceasefire or a peace agreement in a meeting where only one side is represented. That’s why it’s important to bring both leaders together, and that’s the goal here,” he stressed.
Details of Trump’s closed-door meeting with Putin have not been released, with Rubio insisting that peace negotiations “don’t work when they’re conducted in the media.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected at the White House on Monday, accompanied by several European leaders, for further discussions with Trump.
Russia-Ukraine War: Both Sides Must Make Concessions – US is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
