US Secretary of State calls for diplomatic solution to end three-year-long Ukraine conflict

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated that there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and stressed that the crisis should be resolved through diplomatic negotiations.

Speaking at a briefing, Rubio emphasized that the war, which has persisted for three years, could not have been avoided if his predecessor, President Donald Trump, had been in office. However, now that the war is a reality, Rubio insisted, it must come to an end through talks, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

"This is a war that's gone on for three years, <…> that, as you've rightly pointed out, would have never happened had you been president, but now it's here, and it needs to be brought to an end," Rubio said, addressing President Trump. "There is no military solution to this war. It has to end through negotiations," he added, underscoring his belief in a peaceful resolution.

Rubio also expressed optimism regarding the ongoing diplomatic efforts, particularly the meetings of the US negotiating team in Saudi Arabia. "I am hopeful that progress will be made during these talks," he said.

The US and Russian delegations began their negotiations earlier this week, with the Russian delegation led by Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, and Sergey Beseda, Advisor to the Director of the Federal Security Service.

The American team is led by Andrew Peek, a senior director at the White House National Security Council, and Michael Anton, a senior official at the US State Department. Additionally, aides to Keith Kellogg, Special Envoy for Ukraine, and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz are taking part in the discussions.

Yury Ushakov, a Russian Presidential Aide, noted that the main focus of the consultations is the potential resumption of the Black Sea grain initiative, in line with an agreement made between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the United States during a phone conversation.

By Vafa Guliyeva