US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sworn in on Tuesday, made it clear that the end of Russia’s war in Ukraine will form a critical axis of US foreign policy under President Donald Trump. Rubio, a former US senator and a fierce critic of China, underscored the administration’s efforts to promote peace.
The first of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees to be sworn into office, Rubio was unanimously confirmed by the US Senate on Monday evening. Other confirmations are expected later this week.
During his confirmation hearing, Rubio said that both Moscow and Kyiv would have to make concessions to end the conflict. He said that Ukraine might have to give up its dream of regaining all the territories Russia has taken over the past decade.
Speaking to NBC’s “Today” show ahead of his swearing-in, Rubio reiterated his stance, stating, “It’s going to be the official policy of the United States that the war has to end, and we’re going to do everything possible to bring that about.”
Former President Joe Biden, in contrast, insisted that it is Ukraine’s choice to determine the right time for negotiating peace with Russia while heavily arming Kyiv. Trump in his campaign also claimed that he would quickly put an end to the war but he did not show how he intends to do this.
Rubio said the situation is complex, but “every side’s going to have to give something.” He drove home his point that lasting peace would require vigorous diplomacy aimed at both ensuring Ukraine’s security while stopping the violence and destruction underway.
A Cuban-American senator, Rubio is a member of both the Senate foreign relations and intelligence committees. He pledged to uphold Trump’s foreign policy goals, including the idea of peacifica through strength, with advancing US national interests while upholding American values.
