Ending Russia's war against Ukraine will be challenging, as the process will require more than just a single meeting or phone call, stated U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
"Ultimately, one phone call will not bring peace. One phone call will not resolve such a complex war as this. But I can tell you that Donald Trump is the only leader in the world who could potentially initiate this process," he said during an appearance on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday.
According to him, Trump aims to conclude the war in a manner that ensures lasting peace and protects Ukrainian sovereignty, so "it would be a durable peace, not something that in three or four years we will face a new invasion."
Meanwhile, Rubio noted that Putin "has expressed interest in peace," but cautioned that "the next few weeks and days will determine how serious this is."
He added that despite the impossibility of concluding the war in one meeting, "the first step in this process has been taken, and a long road lies ahead."
"This war has been going on for some time. It is difficult; it is complex. It has been bloody; it has been costly. Therefore, ending the conflict will not be easy. There are other parties involved who also have their opinions on this matter," the Secretary of State remarked.
Regarding the involvement of Ukraine and Europe in the negotiation process, Rubio stated: "Eventually, it will come to the point where... if this is a genuine negotiation, and we have not reached that yet, but if it happens, Ukraine will have to be involved because they are the ones who have been invaded, and the Europeans will also need to be involved because they have sanctions against Putin and Russia, and they have contributed to these efforts."
Meanwhile, Rubio described U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance's speech in Munich as "historic."
"I thought it was quite a historic speech. Regardless of whether you agree with him or not, I believe what is important about his message to Europe is that we are concerned about the real values we share, values that connect us with Europe, such as freedom of speech and democracy and our shared history of victories in two world wars and triumph over Soviet communism," he said.
He remarked that he does not understand why "this might upset some people" and urged Europeans to "at least listen and assess whether this criticism is justified."
"I assure you that the United States has faced sharp criticism from many European leaders repeatedly, and we do not throw tantrums about it," Rubio stated.
The Secretary of State believes that "there is an erosion of freedom of speech and intolerance or opposing viewpoints occurring in Europe, which is concerning."
"I have communicated with foreign ministers from many European countries. Many of them may not have liked this speech or disagreed with it, but they continued to engage with us on all issues that unite us," Rubio assured.
Source: https://www.state.gov/secretary-marco-rubio-with-margaret-brennan-of-cbss-face-the-nation