Rubio: We are closer to peace than two weeks ago

Marco Rubio made this statement in an interview with Fox News radio, the transcript of which was published by the US State Department, as reported by Ukrinform.

“I think we've seen that we're closer – we haven't achieved peace. I mean, we have a lot of work to do, but we're closer than we were two weeks ago or six months ago,” he said.

Rubio emphasized that the war in Ukraine has been going on for three years now, and the US President is seeking to end it.

“I think everybody has to agree that this war has to stop, and the question is how do we end it so that it doesn't start again? So the plan was basically, can we get these two sides to stop shooting at each other, sit down at the table and talk about how to end this forever? That was the president's goal,” the US Secretary of State explained.

He said he received a “good commitment” from the Ukrainian delegation last week in Saudi Arabia:

“They agreed to cease fire and freeze the situation, and we can discuss how to end this conflict for good.”

Read also: Trump: Many elements of Ukraine peace deal already agreed upon

Now, Rubio said, the goal is to get “something similar” from the Russians. In that context, he called Special Representative Vitkov's meeting with Putin last week productive.

“It was not a waste of time, we came back with some information, but we will know more tomorrow, after the president talks with Putin. And, of course, we will be in a better position,” the US Secretary of State concluded.

As reported by Ukrinform, on Monday, White House Press Secretary Karin Leavitt noted that the United States, together with Ukraine and Russia, has never been closer to a peace agreement than it is now.

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