“Almost no one in the world, and I think even some Russians, doubt that the invasion of Ukraine was a strategic mistake. Russia will certainly not achieve the goals it announced on the first day. And Russia may never achieve by force the goals it is now demanding in negotiations,” M. Rubio stated.
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He acknowledged for the first time the effectiveness of Ukraine’s strikes deep into Russian territory and the success of the defense forces on the battlefield.
The U.S. Secretary of State also emphasized that the war in Ukraine can only end through diplomatic means, and the United States does not refuse to participate in the negotiation process.
“This war will end at the negotiating table. However, achieving this is difficult because the positions of the parties remain very far apart,” M. Rubio pointed out, adding that Russia has shown no willingness to make concessions to achieve peace.
Therefore, the prospects for peace negotiations “do not look very optimistic,” he noted.
400 million for Ukraine
M. Rubio also hinted that “quite soon” news will be announced about $400 million in aid to Ukraine.
This aid package was previously approved by Congress, but the Pentagon delayed its disbursement for several months.
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Last December, U.S. lawmakers reached a compromise on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included $400 million in security assistance to Ukraine. Despite this legislative approval, the funds remained frozen.
During a Senate Armed Services Committee meeting in May, it became clear that the proposed 2027 U.S. budget no longer included the previously agreed $400 million allocation to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI).
Senator Jeanne Shaheen reviewed documents showing that the Pentagon intends to seek funds for Ukraine under the “Partnership for Ukraine Reforms and Logistics” (PURL) program.
She questioned the Pentagon’s decision to shift the burden of supporting Ukraine to Europe, effectively bypassing Congress’s intentions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that they are acting “in the context of strengthening European capabilities.”
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