U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that both Ukraine and Europe must be included in any negotiations to end the war with Russia, amid concerns that the United States and Russia might engage in bilateral talks without Kyiv or European nations.
“If real negotiations start—and they haven’t yet—Ukraine will be invited because they are the ones under attack,” Rubio told CBS. He also stressed that European countries must participate, as they have imposed sanctions on Russia and are directly involved in the conflict.
Rubio made these remarks while in Jerusalem, where he held a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He is set to travel to Saudi Arabia for discussions with Russian representatives, alongside U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.
However, Ukraine and European officials will not be present at the Saudi negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously rejected any peace deal that excludes Ukraine and has called on Washington to provide security guarantees. Without such assurances, Ukraine’s potential economic partnership with the U.S., including access to rare minerals, could be at risk.
Rubio emphasized that initial discussions must lead to concrete actions: “The next few weeks will determine whether these talks are serious or not. One phone call or meeting will not resolve this conflict.”
