US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are currently not taking place, though Washington remains prepared to help facilitate talks if conditions change.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO foreign ministers' summit in Sweden, Rubio said the US became directly involved in diplomatic efforts because both Moscow and Kyiv viewed Washington as "the only" intermediary.
"We got involved, okay? Because we were told we were the only ones that could do it. We were the only ones that the Russians and the Ukrainians would talk to. So, we got involved. They were not fruitful, unfortunately. ... We stand ready to continue to play that role," Rubio said.
He emphasized that while negotiations have stalled, the Trump administration remains open to resuming a mediating role if an opportunity for meaningful progress emerges.
"There are no such talks occurring at this time, but we hope that will change, because that war can only end with a negotiated settlement," he said.
The secretary argued that neither Russia nor Ukraine is likely to achieve a decisive military victory under conventional definitions of warfare, making diplomacy the only realistic path toward ending the conflict.
"It will not end with a military victory by one side or the other, at least from a traditional standpoint of how military victories are defined," Rubio said. "So, it will have to lead, and if we can play a role in making that happen, the president (Donald Trump) is very much interested in doing it."
He also assured that the US support for Ukraine remains intact.
At the same time, Rubio signaled frustration with previous diplomatic efforts that failed to produce tangible results, saying the administration would avoid participating in negotiations that amount to little more than symbolic meetings.
"There wasn't a lot of progress being made, but maybe dynamics will change," Rubio said. "We stand ready to play whatever constructive role we can play."
"We're more than happy to do that if the opportunity presents itself to have constructive and productive talks," he added. "We're also not interested in getting involved in an endless cycle of meetings that lead to nothing."
