Ojars Kehris

"Right now, there don’t seem to be prospects of a negotiated settlement of the war in Ukraine. But the US is prepared to play whatever role we can in making that happen. It would be good for Russia and Ukraine, but so far, it’s proving elusive." - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio In an interview with the Greek outlet Kathimerini, Rubio described the war in Ukraine as a "strategic stalemate" that can be overcome in only two ways: through negotiations or through escalation that goes beyond the original conflict. Rubio said that, at present, there are no prospects for resolving the war through negotiations. According to him, Russia continues to insist on full control over Donbas, while for Ukraine "that condition is simply unacceptable." "A diplomatic solution has eluded us, but we are prepared, if we can play a constructive role, to make it happen. In the meantime, we watch with great concern as escalation could happen. Just yesterday, some ships were attacked in the Black Sea through a coordinated drone attack. We’re worried about a sabotage operation in a neighboring country that can spiral out of control. And, obviously, there are clear indications that Russia will use the upcoming winter as something they want to use to destroy what remains of the electric grid in Ukraine and force them into capitulation. Meanwhile, Ukraine has grown more effective in its ability to conduct long-range strikes deep into Russia. So, we share the same concern. The whole world is going about this thing like something that could escalate and perhaps become a broader conflict. So, we stand prepared to facilitate and continue to explore any opportunity for a negotiated settlement," Rubio said.