Rubio: ‘Best way to end’ Russia-Ukraine war ‘is through a full peace deal’

BY RACHEL SCULLY

© AP

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said the “best way” to end the war between Russia and Ukraine is through “a full peace deal,” but clarified that a ceasefire is “not off the table.”

During an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Rubio about President Trump’s past threats of “severe consequences” for Russia if it did not agree to stop its war in Ukraine after the president met with President Vladimir Putin last week, which did not end with an agreement on Ukraine. She noted that Trump is now asking for a broader peace deal after the meeting.

“There’s no doubt about that,” Rubio said about a peace deal being the ideal outcome. “I mean, who would be against the fact if tomorrow we came to you and said, ‘We have a full peace deal and it’s done.’ I think that’s the best way to end the war.”

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Witkoff: Russia-Ukraine land swaps ‘fundamental issue’ to be discussed at Zelensky meeting

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Russia-Ukraine land swaps are the “fundamental issue” that will be discussed at the White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Witkoff said land swaps will be the key discussion point on Monday when Zelensky and European leaders join President Trump for their first in-person meeting after Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Witkoff, who was with Trump during the Putin meeting, said “robust security guarantees” were reached during the historic discussion but that the U.S. was serving as a “mediator” for Ukraine and could not make progress on issues like land swaps without first speaking to Ukrainians.

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Rubio on Trump-Putin summit: No peace agreement ‘unless both sides make concessions’

BY RACHEL SCULLY

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there wouldn’t be a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia “unless both sides make concessions.”

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, host Martha Raddatz asked whether Rubio could name any concessions Russian President Vladimir Putin made during his meeting with President Trump in Alaska on Friday, which Rubio was in attendance for.

“I wouldn’t name them on your program,” Rubio responded.

When Raddatz pushed back, asking where the “pressure” was, Rubio said there can’t be a peace agreement “unless both sides give and get.”

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Witkoff says Trump, Putin agreed to ‘robust security guarantees’ during summit

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to “robust” security guarantees, including “effectively” offering Ukraine Article Five-like protection, during their historic Friday meeting.

“We agreed to robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing,” Witkoff said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Witkoff explained that Russia agreed to allow the United States and other European countries to “effectively offer [Ukraine] Article Five-like language to cover a security guarantee,” referring to the provision of NATO that states an attack on one NATO member is seen as an attack on all members.

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Pence said Trump ‘deserves credit’ for ‘not giving up on Ukraine’

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

Former Vice President Pence on Sunday praised President Trump for “not giving up on Ukraine,” even as Trump’s first-term vice president said he would have liked to see a ceasefire come out of the Friday Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I think he deserves credit as leader of the free world for not giving up on Ukraine, particularly, Jake, since there are many voices in and around the administration that would have cut Ukraine loose months ago. So, I want to commend the president for trying to make progress,” Pence told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”

“I must tell you, I would have liked to have seen a ceasefire, but the truth is that no deal is better than a bad deal,” he continued.

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