Rubio plans on supporting Trump on Ukraine

(MENAFN) Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who is rumored to be President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Secretary of State, is expected to support Trump’s approach of pressuring Ukraine to negotiate a peace deal with Russia, according to the *New York Times*. The newspaper reported that while Rubio has not yet been formally appointed, he is likely to align with Trump’s strategy to persuade Ukraine to settle with Moscow, including giving up its NATO ambitions. Sources close to the matter, however, warned that Trump could change his mind about Rubio’s nomination at the last minute.

Rubio, who was once a staunch supporter of military aid to Ukraine, has recently shifted his stance. In a discussion about the conflict, Rubio called the war a “stalemate” and emphasized the need for a resolution, noting the long-term damage the war would inflict on Ukraine. He clarified that this stance did not imply approval of Russia’s actions but argued for a practical approach to end the conflict.

During his campaign, Trump repeatedly promised to end the war within 24 hours if re-elected, though he did not provide specifics on how he would achieve this. Trump suggested that he would push Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to strike a deal and hinted at using future aid to incentivize Moscow to negotiate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated that Russia is ready for talks, provided they are substantive and take into account the current realities on the ground, with the goal of securing Ukraine’s independence while preventing its use as a proxy by external powers.

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