A Path Toward Peace? Marco Rubio Hopes for a Ceasefire Between Russia and Ukraine

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism on Wednesday that a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine could be achieved within "days" if Russian leaders agree to it. Speaking to reporters during a stopover in Ireland while en route to Canada, Rubio outlined a vision of a world where the fighting stops and diplomacy begins. "Here’s what we’d like the world to look like in a few days: Neither side is shooting at each other—not rockets, not missiles, not bullets, nothing, not artillery," he said. "The shooting stops, the fighting stops, and the talking starts." Rubio emphasized the urgency of ending the violence, which has ravaged Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2014 and escalated into a full-scale war in 2022.

Rubio also addressed concerns about potential hostility from American allies due to President Trump’s recent tariffs on Canada and his controversial suggestion to annex the country as the 51st state. He downplayed these issues, stating, "That’s not what we’re going to discuss at the G7, and that’s not what we’re going to be discussing in our trip here. They’re the host nation, and I mean, we have a lot of other things we work on together." He added humorously, "It is not a meeting about how we’re going to take over Canada." Despite Trump’s unpredictable behavior, Rubio remains focused on uniting the G7 nations in their support for Ukraine and their efforts to end the war.

Behind the Scenes: Negotiations and Challenges

Rubio and Michael Waltz, the White House national security adviser, spent hours in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, meeting with Ukrainian officials to hash out a potential negotiation process with Russia. These talks resulted in Ukraine agreeing to a U.S.-proposed 30-day interim ceasefire. However, this progress came after a tumultuous period in U.S.-Ukraine relations. President Trump had previously withheld weapons and intelligence aid to Ukraine, reportedly to pressure them into negotiations. After the Jeddah meeting, U.S. officials confirmed that aid had resumed, signaling a shift in strategy.

Rubio emphasized that the next step is to engage Russian officials directly. He revealed that U.S. officials planned to make contact with their Russian counterparts on Wednesday to discuss the proposed ceasefire. "If their response is no, it would be highly unfortunate, and it’d make their intentions clear," he warned. Rubio also shared insights from a previous meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, where he noted that the Russians seemed open to the idea of ending the conflict, though they did not specify the conditions under which they would agree to a settlement.

Despite these cautious hopes, the path to peace is fraught with challenges. Ukrainian officials have made it clear that any negotiations must address critical issues, including prisoner exchanges, the release of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, and humanitarian assistance. Additionally, Ukraine is seeking security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression—a point Rubio acknowledged as essential for any lasting peace. "There’s no way to have an enduring peace without the deterrence piece being a part of it," he said.

The Role of Allies and the G7 Meeting

Rubio’s primary goal at the G7 meeting in Canada is to rally the group’s member nations—Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan—to present a united front in encouraging peace talks. He hopes the meeting will produce a "perfect statement" asserting that the United States has taken a positive step in advancing the peace process and urging Russia to consider ending hostilities. "So people will stop dying, so bullets will stop flying, and so a process can begin to find a permanent peace," he said.

European allies are expected to play a central role in any settlement, though it remains unclear when they might become more actively involved in negotiations. Rubio also anticip