US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said 'new ideas' would be needed to end the war in Ukraine after meeting Russia's Sergei Lavrov, stressing that proposals so far were not acceptable to Kyiv.
Key facts
- Rubio met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to the Guardian.
- Rubio said proposals put forward so far were 'not acceptable to Ukraine'.
- He said there had been no change in US policy on selling arms to Ukraine.
- Rubio said ending the war would require something both Russia and Ukraine can agree to.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that ‘new ideas’ and ‘new concepts’ would be required to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, speaking after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to the Guardian.
Rubio said the proposals put forward so far were ‘not acceptable to Ukraine’, signalling that existing frameworks had not provided a basis for agreement between the two sides.
Asked about a Russian readout of his meeting with Lavrov, including a suggestion that the US should not be selling arms to Ukraine, Rubio said he did not recognise these statements and that there had been no change in US policy.
‘We want a peace deal. We want the war to end. We’re prepared to play whatever positive role we can to end the war, and that in order to end this war will require something that both Russia and Ukraine can agree to,’ Rubio said.
He cautioned that a resolution would not come quickly or from a single meeting. ‘That’s not going to happen at a press conference. That’s not going to happen in one meeting here in the Philippines. That’s going to require a lot of work,’ he said.
Rubio added that any eventual peace would come from fresh thinking. ‘If, when peace comes, it’ll be because of some new idea and some new concepts, and we’re prepared to offer some of those in the right setting and form if the opportunity presents itself and the conditions are right,’ he said.
Why it matters
The comments offer a glimpse into US thinking on how the war in Ukraine might eventually be ended, and the diplomatic distance that remains between the parties. Rubio's insistence that current proposals are unacceptable to Ukraine underlines that no agreed framework yet exists.
Frequently asked questions
What did Rubio say about proposals to end the war?
According to the Guardian, Rubio said the proposals put forward so far were 'not acceptable to Ukraine' and that new ideas and concepts would be needed.
Has US policy on arms to Ukraine changed?
Rubio said he did not recognise Russian statements suggesting the US should stop selling arms to Ukraine, and that there had been no change in US policy.
Does Rubio expect a quick resolution?
No. Rubio said ending the war would require a lot of work and would not happen at a press conference or in a single meeting.