Rubio Sees Progress in Ending Ukraine War, Points to Putin as Key Obstacle

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed that there has been some “progress” towards resolving the long-standing conflict in Ukraine, but he implied that the main hurdle remains Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Following the Kremlin’s dismissal of a recent peace plan from the Trump administration, Rubio shared his thoughts during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity. He mentioned, “We’re trying to figure out if there’s a way to conclude the war that both parties can agree on and that secures Ukraine’s future.”

Rubio remarked, “I think we’ve made some progress, but we’re not there yet,” acknowledging the complexity of the situation.

When asked about his confidence in a potential resolution, Rubio hesitated, ultimately attributing the lack of certainty to Putin. “It’s hard to gauge the level of confidence in this context, because at the end of the day, it’s up to President Putin to make the final call,” he noted. “I’m not his advisor.”

He insisted, “President Putin is the only figure on Russia’s side who can bring this war to an end.”

On the diplomatic front, Trump’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had engaged in lengthy discussions with Russian officials in Moscow, delivering a 19-point peace plan that U.S. negotiators devised with Ukraine last week.

The meeting concluded without reaching an agreement.

Yuri Ushakov, a close aide to Putin, indicated that while some proposals were on the table, they were still unmet expectations, saying, “There is also an American proposal that has not yet been unveiled, which seems somewhat acceptable, but it needs more discussion.”

He added, “Some of the offers we’ve received are not acceptable. Hence, we continue the work.”

Rubio characterized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “the most illogical war,” emphasizing that “no one truly benefits from this conflict.” He pointed out that Russia is suffering substantial losses, estimated at around 7,000 soldiers per week, in a battle over a small area of the Donetsk region.

He described the envisioned agreement from the Trump administration as one that would be sustainable for Kiev, provide a safety net for Ukrainians, and support Ukraine’s long-term economic recovery. “Theoretically, if we approach this correctly, Ukraine’s GDP could surpass that of Russia in ten years,” he concluded, emphasizing the potential for growth and stability.