U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in an interview with radio station 77 WABC, stated that there will be no winners in Russia's war against Ukraine, and that it would therefore make sense to end it through a peace agreement. In his words, the conflict is not benefiting either side and must ultimately be resolved through negotiations, since a crushing military victory for any of the adversaries is not in sight. The statement came against the backdrop of Washington's ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring the positions of Kyiv and Moscow closer together.
"They Simply Aren't Achieving Success"
During the conversation, Rubio emphasized that, at present, no peace agreement exists, yet concluding one "makes complete sense." "Obviously, it is not going well for Ukraine, and for Russia it is simply terrible. I mean, they are not achieving success in this war. They just aren't. So it would be entirely logical to stop it," the Secretary of State declared. He added that the war "will not end with some crushing military victory of one side over the other," but will be concluded through agreements reached in negotiations. At the same time, Rubio noted that in foreign policy "sometimes what makes sense does not necessarily happen."
Trump's Position: Willing to Change Things If an Opportunity Arises
The Secretary of State also explained President Donald Trump's approach to a settlement. According to him, if the United States gets an opportunity to change something and overcome the disagreements between the two sides, the White House chief is ready to do so. "We will continue to try to do that. But obviously, today we are not there. I hope that will change. And I think that ultimately it will. At some point, this war has to end," Rubio summed up, adding that the sooner this happens, the fewer people will die and the less destruction will be inflicted.
Energy Ceasefire: Zelensky's Condition
The context for Rubio's statement was the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, which took place on September 22. After the conversation, Zelensky named a condition for a possible energy ceasefire with Russia: "If they don't want us to strike their oil refineries, then let them leave our power grid and water supply alone. You don't strike ours, and we will leave yours alone." In addition, the Ukrainian leader proposed that Trump involve China in applying pressure on Russia and expressed hope that, with the help of the U.S. president, the war could be ended before winter.
Diplomatic Background and Prospects
The statements from Washington and Kyiv come against the backdrop of ongoing discussions between Ukraine and the United States on the format of an energy ceasefire. The combined remarks of Rubio and Zelensky indicate that both sides view the negotiation track as the only realistic way to end hostilities, although, as the Secretary of State himself acknowledged, the practical implementation of this scenario remains in question for now. Diplomats note that a key condition for launching negotiations is the mutual cessation of strikes on critical infrastructure, which could become the first step toward a broader settlement.
