Ukraine-Russia talks at impasse, but US ready to mediate if opportunity arises – Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that peace diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia is currently at a standstill, but if an opportunity arises to resume mediation and help bring the sides closer to an agreement, the United States is ready to do so.

Rubio made the remarks to journalists at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Ukrinform reports.

When asked about the current state of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, Rubio said the United States had tried to play a mediating role in the process, but that "so far it has not led to a fruitful outcome for a variety of reasons."

"We remain prepared to play that role if it can be productive. We don't want to waste our time and invest time and energy into an effort that's not moving forward. But if we see an opportunity to act as a mediator that brings both sides closer to a peace deal, we'd like to see it," he said.

According to him, Washington's position is that "this war is a tragedy."

"Both sides are paying a very heavy price for it [the war], both economic and obviously at a human level. It's destructive. We're against it," Rubio said.

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Commenting on a journalist's remark that he recently held a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, after which Russia attacked a kindergarten in Ukraine, Rubio responded: "Anytime you tell me about strikes on people – every time I hear about these things, it just reminds us of why this war needs to end."

"And while we're prepared to play whatever role we can to bring it to a peaceful diplomatic resolution, unfortunately, right now those efforts have stagnated, but we always stand ready if those circumstances change," Rubio added.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in Yerevan during a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer that Ukraine was ready for the next round of talks in a trilateral format.

At the same time, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said that continuing trilateral negotiations in the U.S.-Ukraine-Russia format is not appropriate until Kyiv withdraws its troops from the part of Donbas it controls.

Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine