WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio played down expectations on Sunday for any immediate breakthrough in upcoming talks with Russian officials aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
While President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed he could end the conflict in a single day if re-elected, Rubio emphasised that resolving such a prolonged and complex war “will not be easy.”
“A process towards peace is not a one-meeting thing,” Rubio said in an interview with CBS on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Rubio is expected to lead a high-level US delegation to discussions with Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the coming days.
However, he noted that details remain uncertain, including whether Ukrainian representatives would participate and who Russia would send.
“Nothing’s been finalised yet,” he said, adding that the objective was to create an opening for broader negotiations that “would include Ukraine and would involve the end of the war.”
US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are also expected to join Rubio at the Riyadh talks.
The discussions follow a lengthy phone call last week between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations immediately.
The call surprised NATO allies and Kyiv, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisting that there should be “no decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
“Right now, there is no process,” Rubio said. “One phone call does not make peace.”
He stressed that any “real negotiations” would require Ukraine’s participation, reinforcing Kyiv’s position that it must be directly involved in discussions about its future.
In an interview broadcast on Sunday with NBC, Zelensky described Putin as a serial liar who could not be trusted as a negotiating partner.
Responding to Zelensky’s comments, Rubio said, “I don’t think in geopolitics, anyone should trust anyone,” adding that “the next few weeks and days will determine whether (Putin) is serious or not” about pursuing peace.
