Rubio says Russia "not winning" in Ukraine, remains open to Iran diplomacy

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia will be unable to achieve its objectives in Ukraine, arguing that Moscow’s territorial ambitions exceed its military capabilities.

Speaking to Bloomberg’s John Micklethwait on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Rubio pushed back against claims that Russia is prevailing in the conflict.

“They desire 20% of Donetsk they don’t possess,” Rubio said, rejecting claims that Russia is winning the war. “It’s difficult to say anyone is winning,” he added.

Turning to Iran, Rubio said U.S. President Donald Trump’s preference was to reach a deal with Tehran, though he acknowledged the difficulty of doing so.

On February 13, Trump expressed skepticism about ongoing discussions between the United States and Iran over a potential nuclear agreement, saying the Iranian leadership does not have a strong track record in negotiations.

“I'm pretty confident in saying that if the Ayatollah said tomorrow he wanted to meet with President Trump, the president would meet him not because he agrees with the Ayatollah, but because he thinks that's the way you solve problems in the world and he doesn't view meeting someone as a concession,” Rubio added.

By Sabina Mammadli