Time is ticking for Russia to show it’s ‘serious’ about a ceasefire, Rubio says

Whether Russia is “serious” regarding a trial in Ukraine, it should become apparently in the “question of weeks,” State Secretary of Makro Makro Rubio Rubio Rubio said on Friday.

“The Russians know our position in the sense that we want to end the war, and we will know very quickly from their answers if they are serious about real peace or whether it’s a delay tactic,” Rubio said at NATO Brussels headquarters.

Questions are raised over the true interest of Moscow to cooperate with Trump’s administration after declining a 30-day fire interruption proposed by Ukraine in early March and then refused to agree to a ceasefire later that month, unless the sanctions were abolished.

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President Donald Trump hosted his first cabinet meeting while sitting next to Secretary of State Marc Rubioa in Washington, DC, February 26, 2025. (Reuters/Brian Snyder)

“[If] It’s a delay tactic, the president is not interested in that, “he added.” President Trump will not fall into the trap of endless negotiations negotiations. “

When journalists press them, Rubio would not comment on what conditions Russia has set up in ensuring a peace agreement.

However, he noted, even after direct calls with foreign leaders, official readings do not always reflect what was actually discussed. This seemed to be the case after the president Donald Trump A call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, when the White House said that Russia had “agreed” to remove the use of force in the Black Sea.

But Kremlin later explained that any agreement was dependent on the sanctions for the West.

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President Donald Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the first day of the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. (Kremlj Press Office/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

“I suppose it’s part of the game,” Rubio said. “At the end of the day, it will be important here whether we will go to peace or not.”

Rubio reiterated that Ukraine and Russia would need to make concessions to end the war, but they refused to say what they should be, insisting that these details should appear in negotiations.

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“At first it was important to talk [to the Russians] Because we didn’t talk to them for a long time. But now we got to the stage [where] We have to make progress, “he said, noting that it would be” difficult “, but it remains” optimistic “.

“There are some promising inscriptions. There are some worrying signs. It won’t be easy. No one ever said it would be easy, but we’ll find out before later,” Rubio told reporters. “And let’s just say I hope. I’m hoping.”