Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday that President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are expected to convene next week, coinciding with the U.N. General Assembly in New York City.
This prospective meeting occurs amidst mounting pressure on NATO to take a more assertive stance against Russia by establishing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, particularly as Poland seeks to prevent additional Russian drones from breaching its airspace.
“President Trump has engaged in numerous discussions with Putin and multiple sessions with Zelenskyy, with another likely scheduled for next week in New York,” Rubio informed journalists from Israel just prior to his departure for Qatar. “He is endeavoring to exhaust every option to conclude the conflict.”
“We have been collaborating intimately with our European allies on security assurances, as these will be fundamental to any agreed-upon resolution,” he further stated. “And he will persist in his efforts. Should peace be attainable, he is resolute in pursuing it.”
Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister, on Monday urged NATO members to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine, aiming to provide enhanced protection for Ukrainians against Russia’s relentless aerial assaults, as well as for neighboring NATO countries that share borders with Ukraine.
“NATO and the EU possess the capability to undertake this action, but it is a decision Poland cannot make unilaterally,” Sikorski conveyed to the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. “It necessitates a collective agreement with its allies.”
This initiative is proving challenging for the alliance, which had previously declined to establish a no-fly zone following the U.S.’s rejection of Zelenskyy’s initial request in 2022 under President Joe Biden.
“Should Ukraine request that we intercept them over its sovereign territory, that would prove beneficial for us. Personally, I believe we ought to give it serious thought,” Sikorski commented.
Russian authorities have already indicated that they would perceive NATO’s interception of Russian drones and missiles in support of Ukraine as direct participation in the conflict.
“The execution of Kyiv’s and other misguided individuals’ provocative concept for establishing a ‘no-fly zone over Ukraine,’ coupled with NATO countries’ capacity to shoot down our unmanned aerial vehicles, would unequivocally signify a direct conflict between NATO and Russia,” Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, stated in a Telegram post on Monday.
President Trump has faced escalating pressure domestically and from Western partners, including Ukraine, to adopt a firmer position regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump has repeatedly cautioned Moscow with the prospect of sanctions, yet he has not utilized this economic instrument since resuming office, notwithstanding multiple deadlines he imposed on Putin having passed without action.
Rubio indicated that Trump might eventually determine that a peace agreement with Putin is unattainable, but he informed journalists on Tuesday that “he has not reached that conclusion at present.”
“President Trump remains the singular global leader capable of engaging in dialogue with both the Ukrainians, Europeans, and the Russians,” Rubio asserted. “He is unlikely to readily relinquish that vital function.
“Should he somehow withdraw from this effort, or, for example, impose sanctions on Russia and declare ‘I am finished,’ then no other individual globally would remain to potentially broker an end to the conflict,” Rubio continued. “While we may reach that juncture, we sincerely hope not, as it is a truly devastating war, and he desires its cessation.”