Rubio emphasizes the urgency of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized on Sunday the urgent need for a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, stating that the Trump administration will spend the upcoming week evaluating its role as a mediator. He remarked, ‘This must occur promptly. We cannot keep allocating time and resources to this initiative if it is not going to yield results,’ during an appearance on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’

Rubio noted that this week is crucial for deciding whether to continue this effort or shift focus to other matters. His comments followed a meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Rome, which took place during Pope Francis’s funeral, aimed at revitalizing stalled negotiations to end the conflict.

Zelenskiy expressed hope that the meeting could be historic if it leads to the desired peace, while a White House spokesperson described it as ‘very productive.’ Rubio mentioned that the U.S. has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia to facilitate diplomatic efforts but cautioned that Trump has alternatives for addressing any party that obstructs a peace agreement.

‘If it fails to materialize, we have measures in place for those we hold accountable for resisting peace,’ the Secretary of State stated. ‘However, we prefer to avoid that scenario, as it may hinder diplomatic avenues.’

Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed concerns on Sunday that Trump might yield to Putin’s demands. ‘To simply abandon Ukraine, after all their sacrifices and the significant loss of life, while the entire West unites against Putin, would be a moral catastrophe,’ Schumer remarked on CNN’s ‘State of the Union.’ He warned that aligning with Russia could fracture alliances with Europe and empower dictators globally.