US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said that Ukraine and Europe will be part of any “real negotiations” to end Moscow’s war, signaling that US talks with Russia this week are a chance to see how serious Russian President Vladimir Putin is about peace.
Rubio played down European concerns that they would be cut out of the initial talks between Russia and the United States set to take place in Saudi Arabia. In an interview with CBS, Rubio said a negotiation process had not yet begun in earnest, and if talks advanced, Ukrainians and other Europeans would be brought into the fold.
European officials have been left shocked and flat-footed by the Trump administration’s moves on Ukraine, Russia, and European defense in recent days. Chief among their fears is that they can no longer count on US military protection and that Trump will attempt to ink a Ukraine peace deal with Putin that undermines Kyiv and broader European continental security.
Rubio rejected concerns that Ukraine and other European leaders would have no place at peace negotiations. He said that Ukrainians and Europeans would be included in any meaningful negotiations because they are the ones affected by the conflict. “Ultimately, it will reach a point – if it’s real negotiations, and we’re not there yet – but if that were to happen, Ukraine will have to be involved because they’re the ones that were invaded, and the Europeans will have to be involved because they have sanctions on Putin and Russia as well,” Rubio said.
The planned talks in Saudi Arabia coincide with a US bid to cut a deal with Kyiv to open up Ukraine’s natural resources wealth to US investment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy questioned whether minerals in areas held by Russia would be given to Putin. Trump, who held a call with Putin on Wednesday, said he was confident Putin wanted peace and that he would not try to take control of the entirety of Ukraine.
Rubio also addressed concerns over European involvement in peace talks. He noted that Ukrainian officials had met several US officials in recent days at the Munich Security Conference, while Trump had talked with Zelenskiy last week. Rubio said that if real negotiations were to happen, Ukrainians and Europeans would be included because they have a stake in the conflict.
French President Emmanuel Macron will host European leaders on Monday for an emergency summit on the Ukraine war.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/rubio-says-coming-days-will-show-if-putin-serious-about-ukraine-peace-2025-02-16