Is a Ukraine Peace Deal Really a Long Way Off?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Marco Rubio emphasizes that a peace deal for Ukraine is still distant.
- Progress was made at the Trump-Putin summit, but significant disagreements remain.
- Upcoming discussions with President Zelensky and European leaders are critical.
- Ukraine may need to make territorial concessions.
- Continued negotiations with Russia are essential for a resolution.
New York, Aug 17 (NationPress) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes that an immediate resolution to the Ukraine conflict is not on the horizon, even though advancements were noted during the summit involving President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
"We're not at the brink of a peace deal, nor are we close to one, but I believe some progress was achieved," he stated on an ABC news segment this past Sunday.
"We made progress by identifying possible areas of consensus, but significant disagreements still exist. Therefore, we are still quite distant from a resolution," he continued.
However, on a CBS segment, Rubio emphasized, "We must make sufficient progress to bring Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Putin together in the same room."
He noted that this is what President Zelensky has been advocating for, and it will be essential to reach a conclusive agreement that ends the conflict.
Zelensky, alongside European leaders such as France's President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is scheduled to meet with Trump on Monday.
Rubio suggested that Ukraine may need to make certain concessions, particularly regarding territories.
He remarked, "If one side receives everything they desire, that constitutes surrender. Neither side is approaching that point, as neither is on the verge of capitulation."
Rubio and Trump's Special Envoy Witkoff were the only representatives from the US present at the summit in Alaska.
While Rubio refrained from divulging specifics about the discussions, Witkoff indicated that Trump received assurances from Putin regarding security guarantees for Ukraine and a legislative commitment to refrain from invading Ukraine or other nations.
"We agreed to substantial security guarantees that I would characterize as transformative," Witkoff shared with CNN on Sunday.
He mentioned that Putin also consented to a legislative assurance promising not to invade Ukraine or other nations.
As he headed to the summit, Trump stated he would not be displeased if a ceasefire did not materialize and warned of "severe consequences." However, following his meeting with Putin, he expressed on Truth Social his support for a comprehensive peace package rather than just a ceasefire agreement.
Defending the pivot, Witkoff explained that due to "significant progress" on other matters concerning a peace deal, "Trump transitioned to that focus."
Rubio defended Trump's decision on ABC regarding the lack of new sanctions on Moscow for failing to agree to a ceasefire, arguing that maintaining negotiations with Russia was crucial and that imposing fresh sanctions could hinder those efforts.