Rubio: Breakthrough in Ukraine talks hinges on Trump-Putin meeting
"We are not going to – we haven’t been chasing this around the world anymore," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. He was referring to mediation in talks about ending the war in Ukraine. Rubio also criticized the composition of the Russian delegation for talks with Ukraine.
During a conversation with journalists in Antalya, Turkey, on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO ministers, Rubio explained why he believes that a breakthrough in talks about Ukraine can only come from a direct conversation between Presidents Trump and Putin.
He stated that the level of the Russian delegation sent for talks with Ukraine—headed by Putin's advisor, former Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky—does not give reason to hope for serious negotiations.
"Well, we are not going to – we haven’t been chasing this around the world anymore. I mean, that’s already happened. We came because we were told that there – I was going to be here anyways, obviously. But we came because we were told that there might be a direct engagement between the Russians and the Ukrainians; that was originally the plan. You all heard the same thing. That was not to be the be case, or, if it is, it’s not at the levels we had hoped it would be at," said Rubio.
"I hope I’m wrong; I hope they have a tremendous breakthrough tomorrow if they talk. But I, frankly, do not believe that we’re going to have a breakthrough here until President Trump sits face to face with President Putin and determines what his intentions are moving forward," he added.
Rubio mentioned that he does not think Russia will agree to a ceasefire on Friday and engage in serious negotiations "I’m just giving you my assessment, honestly. I don’t think it’s going to lead to that, just because of the structure and how this has all played out."
"As long as it is necessary"
The head of American diplomacy stated, however, that President Trump is ready to get involved in the cause of peace "as long as it is necessary."
"I don’t think anything productive is actually going to happen from this point forward, all that, until they engage in a very frank and direct conversation, which I know President Trump is willing to do," he added.
Rubio announced that he will meet with the Turkish foreign minister and the Ukrainian high-level delegation on Friday, while a representative at the appropriate level will be designated to meet with the Russian delegation.
