Trump is the only world leader who can achieve peace in Ukraine: Rubio

US President Donald Trump is “the only global leader right now” who can end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but a possible meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin will depend on progress in ending the war, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

 

In an interview posted online early Friday, Rubio said Trump wants to end the war with Ukraine and wants to test Russia’s commitment to this.

 

The US must have “some communication” with Russia on this, and the only way to assess this is through direct engagement with Russia, he told independent journalist Catherine Herridge.

 

A Trump-Putin meeting will not happen until “we know what the meeting is going to be about,” he said.

 

The timing of a meeting depends on progress in ending the war in Ukraine, he said.

 

“You don’t generally have these meetings until you know some outcome, or some progress has been made,” he added.

 

If progress is made and the meeting seals the deal, Rubio said “everybody should celebrate that President Trump is a peacemaker,” adding that Trump is “the only global leader right now that can make this happen.