US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that American attempts to mediate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have effectively reached a deadlock, writes The Moscow Times.
Marco Rubio. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
According to Marco Rubio, Washington tried to help the parties reach a peace agreement, but so far, it has not yielded results.
"We tried to play the role of a mediator, but so far, it has not led to a fruitful outcome for a number of reasons. We are still ready to play this role if it can be effective," the US Secretary of State said.
He noted that the US does not want to waste time and resources on a process that does not lead to progress. At the same time, he added that the American side is ready to return to active mediation if the situation changes.
Earlier, to achieve results, the US offered Russia broad concessions — including talks about easing sanctions, economic cooperation, and even the possibility of recognizing Crimea. However, Vladimir Putin did not agree to a compromise on territorial issues and continues to demand full control over Donbas without a fight.
Despite contacts between US and Kremlin representatives, as well as several meetings between the Russian and Ukrainian sides, a peace agreement could not be reached.
Earlier, sources for Bloomberg reported that the Kremlin is considering the possibility of continuing the war for at least another year or two and is preparing a new offensive.
As for the US, they wanted to reach an agreement on Ukraine before spring, to then put it to a referendum in Ukraine and organize elections, as Russia demanded. The American side was also interested in rapid progress in these negotiations against the backdrop of the internal political situation in the US and upcoming congressional elections. However, Putin's inflated demands and Ukraine's refusal to accept them made these plans unfeasible.
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