Rubio says Ukraine settlement is at a stalemate, US will keep trying
In short
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he currently sees no prospect of a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Ukraine and described the situation as a stalemate, but said Washington will continue its efforts. In an interview with a Greek newspaper he said the goal remains out of reach because Russia wants full control over Donetsk, which Ukraine considers unacceptable, and voiced concern that the conflict could escalate and affect other countries.
Read the full story 1 min read
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he currently sees no prospect of a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Ukraine, but that Washington will continue its efforts, Russian outlets reported on 8 October. TASS reported that Rubio called a diplomatic settlement hard to achieve and said Washington continues to study any possibilities for a peaceful resolution. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
In an interview with a Greek newspaper, Rubio said the conflict between Russia and Ukraine had reached "a strategic dead end, which is fraught with dangers," Kommersant reported. "Strategic dead ends can be resolved only in two ways: either through negotiations, or through escalation by one or both sides that ultimately goes beyond the original conflict. At the moment, there appear to be no prospects for a negotiated settlement," he said. [ 2 ]
Rubio said the US had already tried to help bring about a diplomatic settlement, but that "so far this goal remains unattainable" because the Russian authorities want full control over Donetsk, which Ukraine considers unacceptable. "We share the concern felt around the world about the possibility of the conflict escalating in a way that could affect other countries and possibly grow into a larger conflict," he added. According to Kommersant, he said US authorities were ready to assist negotiations. [ 2 ]
Speaking to journalists during a visit to Lisbon, Rubio said: "Frankly, there now appears to be a stalemate," RIA Novosti reported. He said the US had tried to achieve a negotiated settlement "and will continue our attempts." [ 3 ]
According to Kommersant, the US resumed its mediation efforts on Ukraine in September. US presidential special envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv, where they met Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but the negotiating process did not advance beyond these initiatives, the newspaper wrote. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The remarks, reported by Russian official and business outlets, indicate that the US mediation resumed in September has not produced a settlement. Rubio said a strategic dead end can be resolved only through negotiations or through escalation that goes beyond the original conflict.
Key facts
- Marco Rubio said there currently appear to be no prospects for a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. [ 2 ]
- TASS reported that Rubio called a diplomatic settlement in Ukraine hard to achieve and said Washington continues to study any possibilities for a peaceful resolution. [ 1 ]
- Speaking to journalists during a visit to Lisbon, Rubio said there appears to be a stalemate and that the US will continue its attempts to reach a negotiated settlement. [ 3 ]
- Rubio said the goal remains unattainable because the Russian authorities want full control over Donetsk, which Ukraine considers unacceptable. [ 2 ]
- Rubio said the US shares concern about the conflict escalating in a way that could affect other countries and possibly grow into a larger conflict. [ 2 ]
- In September the US resumed mediation; special envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner visited Moscow and Kyiv and met Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Russia's demand for full control over Donetsk is the main obstacle to a settlement. This explanation, attributed to Rubio, is reported only by Kommersant.
- What Jared Kushner said about the state of an agreement on Ukraine. Kommersant's text is cut off at this point; it refers to a remark that most of an agreement on Ukraine has already been agreed, without the full context.
- Which Greek newspaper interviewed Rubio. Kommersant does not name the newspaper.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports Rubio calling a diplomatic settlement in Ukraine hard to achieve. [ 1 ]
- Kommersant reports Rubio's interview with a Greek newspaper saying there are no prospects for a negotiated settlement. [ 2 ]
- RIA Novosti reports Rubio telling journalists in Lisbon that there is a stalemate and the US will keep trying. [ 3 ]