U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia’s war against Ukraine had reached a “strategic stalemate.” He said such situations end either through a negotiated settlement or through escalation that could spread beyond the original conflict.
Marco Rubio made the remarks in an interview with Greek newspaper Kathimerini.
“Right now, there don’t seem to be prospects of a negotiated settlement,” the U.S. secretary of state said.
He added that the United States was prepared to play whatever role it could in reaching an agreement and had tried to do so before, but a diplomatic solution had so far remained elusive.
According to Rubio, Russia has defined victory as gaining control over the entirety of the Donetsk region and continues to state that as its goal. Such a condition is unacceptable to Ukraine.
“And so, a diplomatic solution has eluded us, but we are prepared, if we can play a constructive role, to make it happen,” Rubio said.
He also said the United States was watching the risk of further escalation of the war with great concern.
