Rubio sees no prospects for ending the war due to Russia's territorial demands

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that ending the Russian-Ukrainian war through diplomatic negotiations is "unattainable" at this time. He said this in an interview with the Greek edition Kathimerini.

The U.S. Secretary of State believes that Russia's war against Ukraine has reached "a strategic dead end", from which there is only a way out either through negotiations or through escalation.

Rubio acknowledged that diplomatic efforts are failing because Russia demands full control over Donbas, and Ukraine rejects these demands.

"At the moment, there are no prospects for a negotiated settlement. We are ready to play any role we can to achieve this. We have tried to do this in the past, but so far this goal remains unattainable because the Russians put forward the condition of full control over Donbas, which Ukraine rejects as unacceptable", – said the diplomat.

Rubio assured that the United States will continue to be ready "to play a constructive role in achieving a diplomatic solution". At the same time, he expressed concern about a possible escalation of the war.

"Just yesterday, new attacks on ships in the Black Sea took place in the form of a coordinated attack using unmanned aerial vehicles. We are concerned about the possibility of a sabotage operation in a neighboring country that could get out of any control", – noted the Secretary of State.

In addition, he added, there are clear signs that Russia intends to take advantage of the approaching winter to destroy Ukraine's power grid and force it to capitulate. Rubio also mentioned that Ukraine, for its part, has increased its ability to carry out long-range strikes deep into Russian territory.

"So, we share the concern – which encompasses the whole world – about the possibility of an escalation of the conflict, which could affect other countries and possibly grow into a broader conflict. We, as before, are ready to contribute to this process... And if any opportunity arises – that is, if there is a likelihood of a negotiated settlement – we truly believe that this will be to the benefit of both Russia and Ukraine", – summarized Rubio.

Despite the lack of progress in the peace talks, Washington continues attempts to organize a new meeting between representatives of Ukraine and Russia. On October 4, Zelensky reported that the American side proposed to hold trilateral talks at the technical level before the end of the month. Ukraine confirmed its willingness to participate, in particular on the territory of the United Arab Emirates. At the same time, there was no final agreement on holding such a meeting at that time.

In parallel, international mediators are trying to achieve at least a partial ceasefire. According to Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, Kyiv has received relevant proposals from the USA, India, Turkey and Egypt. They concern primarily the cessation of strikes on energy infrastructure and ensuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. Ukraine has declared readiness for such agreements provided that the energy and maritime truces take effect simultaneously.

As early as September 23, Rubio reported on Ukraine's and Russia's interest in discussing a limited cessation of strikes on energy facilities and agreements on grain transportation. However, he admitted that even such an agreement would be difficult to reach, since energy infrastructure is of strategic importance for both sides. Currently, according to the Secretary of State's assessment, territorial disputes remain the main obstacle to broader diplomatic settlement.

Based on materials: Kathimerini, "European Pravda", "European Pravda"