Russia’s war in Ukraine is at a dangerous stalemate, says US’ Rubio
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaking at a press conference in Portugal on Oct 8.
PHOTO: EPA
- - Marco Rubio said Russia’s war in Ukraine is at a “dangerous stalemate” and the US wants a “permanent, enduring, and fair” negotiated settlement.
- - Trump’s administration is trying to restart peace talks, with Ukrainian negotiators due in the US on Oct 9 and 10.
- - Rubio warned that rising drone attacks and wider sabotage could spread the war into NATO countries and a larger regional conflict.
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LISBON - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Oct 8 that Russia’s war in Ukraine is at a dangerous stalemate and the United States will keep working towards a settlement to end the conflict.
“We’d love to see a negotiated settlement to this war that is permanent, enduring, and fair. And that’s what we’re committed to continuing to do,” Rubio told reporters during a visit to Portugal.
US President Donald Trump’s administration, in recent weeks, has sought to revive talks to end the four-year-old conflict – Europe’s bloodiest since World War II, with Ukrainian negotiators set to visit the US for talks on Oct 9 and 10.
Mutual drone attacks by Russia and Ukraine this year have gradually spread across the economy, hitting targets from energy facilities and refineries to ports and vessels carrying oil and grain, e-commerce warehouses and, most recently, data centres.
Rubio said escalations could spark a wider conflict.
“That escalation could wind up being a sabotage campaign in neighbouring countries that are members of NATO,” Rubio said, adding that other things “could quickly turn what is a war between two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conflict.”
“This war needs to end in a negotiated settlement. The sooner, the better. The United States stands ready to facilitate that. We have tried. We will continue to try. But we’re also not going to invest in pointless processes if we can’t make progress,” Rubio added. REUTERS