“Right now, there don’t seem to be prospects of a negotiated settlement.” That was US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s verdict on the Russia-Ukraine war, given in an interview with the Greek newspaper Kathimerini and reported by European Pravda on October 8.
Rubio described the fighting as “a strategic stalemate” that only negotiation or wider escalation can break. Diplomacy is stuck, he said, because Russia wants all of Donetsk and Ukraine will not hand it over. “The Russians have defined victory as the totality of Donetsk,” he said. “And that’s a condition that, for Ukraine, is simply unacceptable.”
Winter, drones and the power grid
Rubio pointed to a fresh incident to explain his worry. Ships in the Black Sea had been hit by a coordinated drone attack the day before, he said, and he feared a sabotage operation in a neighbouring country that “can spiral out of control.”
He also said there were clear signs that Moscow intends to use the coming winter against Ukraine’s power grid, hoping to force Kyiv to give in. Ukraine, for its part, has extended its reach with long-range strikes deep inside Russia, he noted.
Washington stays ready to help, Rubio said. “We stand prepared to facilitate and continue to explore any opportunity for a negotiated settlement,” he said, adding that such a deal would be good for both Russia and Ukraine. He said the US would try to arrange an energy ceasefire, though he conceded that would be hard.
Zelensky: no dead end
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky answered on Thursday. “We are not at a diplomatic dead end,” he told a press conference in the Ukrainian city of Pryluky, standing beside British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband. Rubio had made his stalemate remark during a visit to Lisbon, calling the situation “very dangerous.”
Zelensky asked for tougher sanctions aimed at Russia’s economy and its weapons production. More pressure on Moscow, he argued, could open the way to talks.
He also repeated a request for the Starlink satellite internet service to be switched on over Russia for Ukraine’s military. Once Ukraine controls Russian skies with its own weapons, he said, Vladimir Putin will come to the table. “Why? Because he will lose everything. Three months, two months – he will lose everything.” Zelensky accused the United States of unwillingness to push the Kremlin toward negotiations, saying Starlink access would cost Washington nothing. He also warned that China has a comparable system Russia could turn to.
Delegation to Washington
A Ukrainian delegation was already traveling to the United States for two days of talks starting Friday, Zelensky said. Local media reported that it would include David Arakhamia, parliamentary leader of Zelensky’s party, foreign intelligence chief Rustem Umerov, presidential chief of staff Kyrylo Budanov and his first deputy, Sergiy Kyslytsya.
The White House confirmed the meeting. A senior US administration official said Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would meet the Ukrainians to discuss “a new, unified proposal that is focused on all aspects of the conflict.” National security advisers from Germany, France and Britain would take part, together with representatives of the European Union and NATO.
Other channels were also open. Zelensky said Ukraine would join a technical-level trilateral meeting with Russia and the US, and The Atlantic had reported that the three sides might meet in Abu Dhabi in October to discuss a partial ceasefire on strikes against energy infrastructure. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Kyiv had received four sets of ceasefire proposals, from India, Türkiye, Egypt and the US.
Sources
- Rubio says diplomatic negotiations to end war in Ukraine are "proving elusive"
- Zelensky rejects Rubio's claim of stalemate in Ukraine peace talks
