Germany’s Wadephul will press US’ Rubio to take a more active role on Ukraine
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (right) listening as US President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable event in Washington, DC, on Aug 7.
PHOTO: AFP
- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul plans to urge US Senator Marco Rubio to take a more active diplomatic role in efforts related to the Ukraine war.
- Germany is engaging with countries like Turkey, Gulf states, and Egypt to help restart negotiations, leveraging their closer ties with Russia.
- Russia is open to hearing Rubio's new ideas and continuing dialogue with the US, despite stalled talks amid tensions involving Iran.
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BERLIN - German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul plans to speak to his US counterpart, Marco Rubio, by phone on Aug 24 to urge him to become more personally involved in diplomatic efforts related to the war in Ukraine, he told radio broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.
Wadephul, who was recently in Ukraine, told the broadcaster that US diplomacy had so far been handled largely by presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
“I may be able to encourage him (Rubio) myself to do more there,” the German minister said, adding that Berlin was pursuing other channels to help restart negotiations.
Germany is in contact with a number of countries, including Turkey, several Gulf states and Egypt, which maintain closer ties with Russia than most European countries, Wadephul said.
Negotiations between Russia and the US to bring about an end to the conflict in Ukraine have largely stalled amid the war in Iran, and the Kremlin said last week that it had no information yet on a possible next visit by Kushner and Witkoff.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov had said in an interview on Aug 21 that Russia was ready to listen to Rubio’s new ideas and continue dialogue with Washington. REUTERS
