Marco Rubio, who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the U.S. Secretary of State, stated that negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine will not take place publicly, and that the U.S. must play its role in this matter, according to ABC News.
As noted by the publication, in response to a question about President Donald Trump's promise to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on his first day, Rubio remarked that it is a "more complicated matter," adding that negotiations will not be conducted publicly.
"Look, this is a complex, tragic conflict initiated by Vladimir Putin (the Russian dictator, - ed.), which has caused immense damage to both Ukraine and Russia, I would argue, as well as to the stability of Europe," Rubio stated.
In his view, the only way to address these issues is to "return to pragmatism" and also to "seriousness." He added that "this is hard diplomatic work."
"The U.S. must play its role here. We have supported Ukraine, but this conflict needs to come to an end," Rubio declared.
He also commented on the ceasefire in Gaza.
"I hope and pray that it lasts... When dealing with a terrorist organization that has committed atrocities driven by all kinds of evil, I don't think you can be sure that everything will work out in the long run," he said.
It is noted that Rubio became the first officially confirmed member of Trump's cabinet.
What is known about Trump's statements on ending the war in Ukraine
As previously reported by UNIAN, Trump wants to end the war in Ukraine as soon as possible, and he is not particularly concerned about the conditions under which this will happen, stated John Bolton, former advisor to elected President Donald Trump.
He also believes that Russia may be interested in reaching a ceasefire agreement and establishing demarcation lines based on the current situation at the front.