Urges Russia And Ukraine To Acknowledge The Absence Of A Military Solution Ahead Of Peace Talks In Saudi Arabia
The United States has reiterated that there is “military solution” to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio made this statement in anticipation of high-stakes meetings set for Tuesday, March 11, in Saudi Arabia, highlighting that the war is unlikely to yield success for either side.
The gathering in Saudi Arabia aims to mend a severely strained relationship following the US’s withdrawal of support for Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, will lead Ukraine’s delegation in discussions with Rubio and other senior US officials in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
Zelenskyy emphasized to reporters on Monday that Ukraine’s stance in the talks would be “fully constructive.”
Before departing for Jeddah, Rubio stressed the importance of assessing Kyiv’s willingness to make concessions in pursuit of peace.
“The most crucial outcome of this meeting is to establish a strong sense that Ukraine is ready to make difficult decisions, just as the Russians will need to do, to bring an end to this conflict or at least pause it in some form,” he stated.
He further remarked, “Both sides need to recognize that there is no military resolution to this situation. The Russians cannot conquer all of Ukraine, and it will be very challenging for Ukraine to drive the Russians back to their 2014 borders within a reasonable timeframe.”
Tuesday’s meeting will mark the first official dialogue between the two nations since the contentious Oval Office exchange between former President Trump and Zelenskyy, which led to a crucial cut in US military assistance and intelligence sharing.
