US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian side has any strategic capability to end this war quickly and that the United States will not remain engaged in negotiations indefinitely if there is no progress from them.  

Source:Rubio while speaking to journalists at the Le Bourget Airport in Paris

Details:Rubio expressed that the war had reached a dead end and that neither the Ukrainian nor the Russian side currently had enough strategic resources for a fast victory. 

He emphasised that delaying peace initiatives would only deepen the humanitarian crisis and increase the number of those killed on both sides. As an example, Rubio brought up the recent attack on Sumy on Palm Sunday that had killed civilians. 

Quote:"I think we have bigger challenges that we need to figure out whether it's even possible within the short term. I can tell you this: this war has no military solution to it.  It really doesn't. It's not going to be decided with – neither side has some strategic capability to end this war quickly. And so what we're talking about here is avoiding thousands and thousands of people from dying over the next year.  We're trying to avoid that." 

Details:Rubio remarked that US President Donald Trump's administration had already spent three years and billions of dollars on assistance for Ukraine and diplomatic efforts. However, the US is not ready to participate in negotiations indefinitely if the two sides do not demonstrate a true desire for peace.  

"We're prepared to be engaged in this as long as it takes, but not indefinitely, not without progress," Rubio stressed. 

Background: 

• Rubio arrived in Paris on Thursday 17 April to take part in the first discussions on Ukraine between Americans, Europeans, and Ukrainians at a time when the Washington-initiated ceasefire talks have stalled and Europeans are trying to make their voices heard.

• On Friday 18 April, he said that it was necessary to determine in "a matter of days" whether peace in Ukraine was possible, stressing that the United States had other priorities, following meetings in Paris between Americans, Europeans and Ukrainians.
• Earlier, Rubio said that the US is ready to abandon efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine if no progress is seen "in a matter of days".
• Trump confirmed that he may give up attempts to broker a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia in the absence of progress, although he did not specify the conditions under which this would happen.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon !