Moscow has consistently maintained that any potential peace agreement must acknowledge the existing “realities on the ground.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that Ukraine may need to concede territory to Russia to reach a peaceful resolution.
Rubio’s comments were made on Monday, prior to a meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Several anonymous U.S. officials previously indicated Washington’s expectations and cautioned Kiev against making maximalist demands regarding territory.
“It will be very difficult for Ukraine to realistically force Russia back to the pre-2014 borders in any reasonable timeframe,” Rubio stated, according to The New York Times.
On Sunday, The Financial Times reported that in Saudi Arabia, Kiev plans to propose a limited ceasefire with Moscow, encompassing long-range drone and missile strikes, as well as naval operations in the Black Sea. This initiative is reportedly intended to persuade Washington to reconsider its decision to halt intelligence sharing and weapons deliveries.
However, Russia has repeatedly stated that it will not accept a temporary ceasefire and insists that the conflict must be resolved through legally binding agreements that address the fundamental causes.