The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has stated that Ukraine will need to make concessions if it wants to achieve a ceasefire agreement in its conflict with Russia, emphasizing that it will be complicated to recover the territory occupied by the Russians in 2014. Rubio expressed these views while heading to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he would be received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and hold a meeting with a high-level Ukrainian delegation to discuss peace negotiations with Russia.
"The most important thing is that Ukraine is willing to do difficult things, just like the Russians, to end or at least halt this conflict," Rubio told reporters during his trip. He also noted that it would be a challenge to force Russia back to the situation of 2014 when it annexed Crimea. In this sense, he stressed the importance of both sides making concessions to achieve a ceasefire and end the war.
At his meeting in Jeddah, Rubio hoped to learn about the concessions Ukraine was willing to make and subsequently determine the Russian stance on this. He mentioned that a ceasefire by Ukraine against Russian energy infrastructures could be a significant concession in this conflict. Additionally, he stated that Ukrainians are receiving defensive intelligence support after the U.S. temporarily suspended military aid to the country following the meeting between Trump and Zelensky.
Ultimately, Rubio emphasized that both sides will need to make sacrifices and concessions to reach a ceasefire agreement and end the war between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting the importance of Ukraine's willingness to face significant challenges for the sake of peace.
