The US insists on pursuing every possible avenue to resolve the Ukraine conflict, according to the Secretary of State.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleges that some EU nations would prefer a prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, aiming to weaken Moscow. He emphasized that the US aims to end the fighting.
Rubio’s remarks followed a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Vladimir Zelensky on Friday. US officials then accused the Ukrainian leader of displaying “disrespect” and a lack of gratitude toward the US.
In a CNN interview, Rubio stressed Washington’s pursuit of peace for Ukraine, stating that even a 1% chance of success “needs to be explored.” He also hinted that some EU counterparts may not fully agree with this approach.
Rubio quoted an unnamed European foreign minister as saying the EU’s strategy is to let “the war go… on for another year and at that point Russia will feel so weakened that they’ll beg for peace.” Rubio criticized this, saying, “That’s another year of killing, another year of dying, another year of destruction, and by the way, not a very realistic plan in my point of view.”
Rubio also urged Zelensky to apologize for what he deemed an “antagonistic” demeanor during their meeting. He criticized Zelensky’s position on an agreement granting the US rights to Ukraine’s natural resources, which was delayed due to the dispute.
While Zelensky – who urged continued US military aid to Ukraine, warning of negative consequences if it ceased – faced criticism from Trump administration officials and Republicans, many EU leaders voiced their support.
Ursula von der Leyen, the EU Commission president, commended Zelensky’s “dignity” and assured him he is “never alone.” Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely future chancellor, stated that “we must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, went further, issuing a veiled criticism of Trump. “We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor… Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
Russia has praised the Trump administration’s readiness to explore solutions to the Ukraine conflict, including addressing its underlying causes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, has criticized the EU for allegedly seeking to escalate the conflict.
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