US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that when the Russia–Ukraine war will end depends not on Washington, but on Moscow and Kyiv.
Peace negotiations are ongoing
Rubio stated during a briefing for journalists that America is striving for peace and that the war will continue "as long as it takes" to end it. He also mentioned that Washington cannot provide specific timelines regarding negotiations with the parties involved in the military conflict over the past month.
“I cannot guarantee that this agreement will be signed in a week or a month. It depends on the Russians and Ukrainians, not us,” said the US Secretary of State.
The issue of negotiations and sanctions
Rubio highlighted that the sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union will be an important part of any agreement. At the same time, he refrained from confirming claims that Russia is deliberately prolonging the negotiations, but acknowledged that the war is "complex".
“I have never said this process will be easy. Especially, it is not easy to work with Russia, which we have not communicated with for several years,” he said.
What agreements have the parties reached?
The peace negotiations between the US, Russia, and Ukraine began in February 2024. Since then:
- Russia and Ukraine agreed to the US proposal not to strike energy infrastructures.
- The US and Ukraine agreed to establish peace in the Black Sea.
- Russia stated it would agree to the Black Sea agreement if sanctions on agricultural exporters are lifted and "Rosselkhozbank" is connected to the SWIFT system.
Additionally, several phone conversations have taken place between Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky, and trilateral negotiations have been organized in Saudi Arabia.
Although the US is actively participating in the peace negotiations, Secretary Rubio emphasized that when the war ends directly depends on the decisions made by Moscow and Kyiv. The US has expressed its readiness to act diplomatically, but how Russia approaches the negotiations and Europe's sanctions policy will influence whether this process moves quickly or slowly.
