WASHINGTON, June 3 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said on Wednesday that talks between Russia and Ukraine have hit a standstill over the past few months, with the risk of escalation looming. Rubio made the remarks during a hearing at the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee subcommittee on foreign aid, where he stated that the Ukraine-Russia conflict cannot be resolved militarily but must be addressed through diplomacy — a path that has so far yielded no results. “It appears neither side is yet ready to make the concessions required for an agreement, so the outlook is not promising,” he said.
He added that while Russia possesses the capability for long-range strikes, Ukraine also has the ability to retaliate accordingly, indicating “the risk of escalation is very real and perhaps more palpable than it was two years ago.” Rubio also acknowledged that the United States is not a neutral mediator but is clearly aligned on one side: “We do not provide weapons to Russia; we only provide weapons to Ukraine. We do not impose sanctions on Ukraine; we only impose sanctions on Russia.” He emphasized that the U.S. will continue to arm Ukraine, and that regional tensions or events elsewhere won’t deter this commitment.
