Rubio Urges Russia and Ukraine to Focus on Peace Talks

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday urged Russia and Ukraine to concentrate on ending their war, speaking to reporters during a visit to Uzbekistan. He said Washington sees nothing good coming from the conflict and many drawbacks, including a real risk that it escalates and spreads to another country.

Rubio cited a failed sabotage attack and drones that are hit by electronic warfare and stray into a neighboring country as possible triggers.

Visit to Central Asia

Rubio arrived in Samarkand on Sunday night to meet senior officials from the C5+1 format. It brings together the United States and five post-Soviet states: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted the leaders of the five countries at the White House last November.

A possible three-way summit

On Monday Rubio also appeared to confirm reports that the United States, Russia and China are discussing a trilateral leaders' meeting on ending the war in Ukraine. According to those reports, Ukraine would not take part. Rubio said talks about a meeting have taken place, but he does not know whether it has been finalized. He stressed that the president has been clear that he wants the war to end.

Trump's criticism of Zelensky

Trump has so far failed to broker an end to the war despite intensive U.S. diplomatic activity since he returned to the White House in January 2025. Washington has long been a strong backer of Kyiv, but Trump has grown more critical of Ukraine and has even suggested that President Volodymyr Zelensky should step down.

On Sunday, Trump criticized Zelensky on Truth Social for not having signed a peace deal with Russia earlier. Trump wrote that Zelensky does not want to end the war and probably never did, and that he could have secured a better deal two years ago than he can now.