Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that former President Donald Trump’s skills as a negotiator will play a crucial role in determining if Russian President Vladimir Putin is genuinely interested in discussions to conclude the ongoing war in Ukraine. During a recent interview on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Rubio addressed the skepticism surrounding the reliability of potential negotiations with Russia, given Putin’s history of using diplomacy as a façade while continuing military aggression.
Rubio stated, “In geopolitics, trust is rare. These situations must be assessed based on actions, not words. Peace isn’t just a concept; it requires real efforts to achieve it.” He praised Trump as “the best negotiator in American politics” and expressed confidence that Trump would quickly identify whether any negotiations were genuine or merely a tactic by Putin to gain time.
While Rubio recognized the importance of keeping options open to end a conflict that has resulted in significant loss of life, he also urged caution. He emphasized that any serious negotiations would need to involve Ukraine, the nation that was invaded, and European nations, which have imposed sanctions on Russia.
The war in Ukraine, ignited nearly three years ago, has led to devastation and heavy casualties, making it Europe’s largest military crisis since World War II. Trump has asserted that if he were president when the conflict began, it would not have escalated, and he expressed intentions to bring about an end to the war if re-elected.
Recent communication between Trump and Putin indicates a willingness to pursue a peace agreement, with Trump reassuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he would be part of the discussions. However, Rubio cautioned that this initial phone call was just a small step towards meaningful negotiations, and a lot of work remains to be done before an effective resolution can be reached. He concluded with a hopeful sentiment for peace, stating, “We really aren’t there yet, but we all wish to see this war come to an end.”
