U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized the necessity for the United States to engage with Russia, citing the country’s considerable influence on international affairs and its nuclear arsenal. During an interview with journalist Catherine Herridge, Rubio stressed, "There are issues we have common interests on. For example, I don’t think the Russians like Iran having nuclear weapons.”
Rubio reaffirmed the importance of U.S. diplomatic presence in Moscow, stating, "Washington is engaged with officials both in Kyiv and Moscow for negotiations to achieve peace in Ukraine." He refuted claims of excluding Ukraine from peace discussions, declaring, "If Ukraine does not come to ceasefire or halt hostilities, Russia won’t either. We need terms acceptable to both sides.”
Rubio acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Russia’s intentions for peace, indicating it would depend on their future actions, adding, "The only agreement we’ve made with the Russian delegation is to talk about peace.” He underscored the conditional nature of any potential meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the progress of de-escalation efforts concerning the conflict.
The Secretary of State also touched on negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about agreements related to rare earth minerals, noting initial positive feedback from Zelenskyy which shifted dramatically as the situation evolved. "This situation has also concerned us. We’re trying to help these guys. I think President Trump is very displeased with Zelenskyy, and sometimes this is justified,” Rubio remarked.
Simultaneously, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov has conveyed the absence of expected high-level intermediary contacts prior to the leaders' meeting, stating simply, "You cannot expect high-level intermediary contacts between Russia and the U.S. before the meeting of two presidents." He explained there has been no progress or agreed specifics on the meeting’s location.
During the phone conversation between Trump and Putin on February 12, lasting around one-and-a-half hours, the two leaders discussed continuing personal contacts and facilitating their upcoming meeting. Following this conversation, discussions occurred between Russian and U.S. delegations on February 18 in Riyadh, during which the parties agreed to appoint representatives from both Moscow and Washington to engage in negotiations about Ukraine.
With these developments, the U.S. maintains its stance on pursuing diplomatic avenues, recognizing both the strategic necessity of engaging with Russia and the challenges posed by the continued unrest surrounding Ukraine. The coming weeks are expected to reveal whether genuine progress can be made toward peace or if underlying tensions will provoke renewed hostilities.