US Secretary of State Rubio expresses optimism over Ukraine conflict resolution

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed cautious optimism about the prospects of resolving the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, pledging that the Washington administration will make every effort to bring an end to the crisis.

“I’m optimistic that we’re going to work harder than any administration’s ever worked to bring an end to this. The President’s made it a priority. He campaigned on it, and – but it’s not going to be easy,” Rubio said in an exclusive interview with CNN, Caliber.Az reports.

While acknowledging the complexities of the situation, Rubio emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump has made the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict a key priority. However, he noted that achieving a breakthrough would remain a significant challenge.

Rubio also addressed the recent release of American citizen Marc Fogel by Russian authorities, which was not directly linked to the ongoing Ukraine negotiations. He nonetheless viewed the move as a positive indication of Russia’s willingness to engage in cooperation, stating, “I do think it’s a good sign that they’re willing to be cooperative in this way. And obviously, it’s a small step forward, they’re not exactly linked together, but anytime an American’s coming home we should be excited about it, and we certainly are.”

The remarks follow a statement by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who also spoke of "huge progress" in resolving the conflict in Ukraine during a recent address at the White House.

By Vugar Khalilov