US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the talks held over the weekend in Moscow and Kyiv were substantial and could pave the way for reviving negotiations aimed at ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Rubio said Washington hopes the talks will allow for the establishment of a roadmap to formally resume negotiations, reiterating that the United States is prepared to play a mediating role between Moscow and Kyiv.
Donald Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday and then traveled to Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Although both meetings were described as substantial or constructive, no concrete agreement or decisive breakthrough was announced.
The main obstacle remains the vast gap between the positions of Moscow and Kyiv, especially regarding the territory occupied by Russia. Ukraine maintains its refusal to cede territory, while the Kremlin continues to defend its main demands.
Rubio's statements come after Trump spoke again with Putin and asserted that the Russian leader would be willing to reach an agreement to end the conflict. However, US, Ukrainian, and European officials remain doubtful about the possibility of reaching an agreement in the short term.
