US secretary of state hopes Russian and Ukrainian proposals will be "close enough"

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the United States will definitely continue its efforts to end the war in Ukraine if, in the coming days, Ukraine and Russia prepare documents that show readiness for concessions and a "realistic and rational" approach.

Source: Rubio in an interview with CBS News

Quote: "On the one hand, we're trying to achieve peace and end a very bloody, costly and destructive war. So there's some element of patience that is required. On the other hand, we don't have time to waste. There are a lot of other things happening in the world that we also need to be paying attention to. So we don't want to be involved in this process of just endless talks, there has to be some progress, some movement forward.

And if at the end of this, in the next few days, we get a document produced by both sides, and it shows that both sides are making concessions and being realistic and rational in their approach, then I think we can feel good about continuing to remain engaged. If, on the other hand, what we see is not very productive, perhaps we'll have a different assessment."

Details: Commenting on his conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Rubio said Lavrov informed him that Russia would prepare a document outlining its "ideas and requirements" for a ceasefire and further negotiations. Rubio also noted that the Ukrainian side would work on its own proposal.

The US official expressed hope that the Russian document would be "close enough to what the Ukrainians want to be able to get to that point and maybe work out those differences".

Rubio also stated that perhaps the only thing that could help break the deadlock is a conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The secretary of state said he could not speak of such a meeting being planned "in terms of picking a site and a date", but stressed that Trump wants to hold it as soon as possible.

Quote: "I think the Russian side has also expressed a willingness to do it. And so, now it's just a question of bringing everyone together and figuring out where and when that meeting will happen and what it will be about."

Background:

• On 16 May, for the first time in over three years, direct talks were held in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
• The media also reported that the Russian delegation in Istanbul demanded that US representatives not be present at the talks with the Ukrainian side and put forward demands that are unrealistic and go far beyond what was previously discussed.
• Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov said that during the talks in Istanbul, the Ukrainian and Russian delegations discussed the possibility of a thousand-for-thousand prisoner exchange.
• Bloomberg reported that Russian representatives voiced several demands to the Ukrainian delegation during a closed meeting in Istanbul on 16 May, setting out the conditions under which Moscow is ready to cease fire. Among them are Ukraine's renunciation of territories and claims for reparations.
• On Saturday, Rubio had a phone conversation with Lavrov, which was reported by the Russian and American sides.

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