U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine must happen soon, adding that the Trump administration will use the upcoming week to decide whether to continue its mediation role.
“It needs to happen soon. We cannot keep dedicating time and resources to this effort if it’s not going to lead to a resolution,” Rubio told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“This week will be crucial in determining whether we should continue with this effort or shift our focus to other issues,” he said.
Rubio’s comments came a day after President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Rome during the funeral of Pope Francis to reignite stalled efforts to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Zelensky remarked that the meeting could be historic if it brings about the peace he hopes for, and a White House spokesperson described it as “very productive.”
Rubio noted that Washington had refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia in the hope that diplomacy would succeed but cautioned that Trump has other options for dealing with any party that resists peace.
“If it doesn’t happen, if it doesn’t come to fruition, there are actions we can take against those we hold accountable for blocking peace,” the secretary of state said. “However, we hope not to reach that point, as we believe it would close the door to diplomacy.”
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed concerns on Sunday that Trump may “cave in to Putin.”
“Abandoning Ukraine after all the sacrifices they’ve made, after so much loss of life, and with the entire West rallying against Putin, would be a moral tragedy,” Schumer said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Schumer added that siding with Russia would damage alliances with Europe and encourage dictatorships globally.
