“It’s still a long journey, a journey with many steps”
March 14, 2025
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Friday he is cautiously optimistic about U.S.-led Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations following the positive outcome the Trump administration has received from U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Steve Witkoff’s meeting with President Putin in Moscow on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference in Canada after the first G-7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting under the Canadian presidency ended, Rubio said the Trump administration senior officials working on the negotiation will convene this weekend to review the Russian position more closely and then let President Donald Trump determine the next step the U.S. team should take in the negotiation.
“It’s suffice to say we’re cautiously optimistic. But by the same token, we recognize this is a difficult and complex situation. It will not be easy, it will not be simple, but we certainly feel like we are at least one step closer to ending this war and bringing peace,” he stated.
However, he acknowledged “It’s still a long journey, a journey with many steps.”
The Secretary noted that this week’s engagements with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia and Russia’s President Putin in Moscow “is a positive momentum and we’ll see what Russia and others are willing to do. It’s not just Russia, it’s also Ukraine… We’ll know more once Special Envoy Watkoff is back. Ultimately, the President is the ultimate decider of the next step of the U.S.”
When asked if he trusts President Putin, Secretary Rubio said it’s irrelevant whether or not he trusts Putin. “It’s not about trust, it’s about actions. It’s about things that you do. In the end, on something like this, you can’t just say you want peace, you have to do peace and that is true to both sides in any country, in any war, in any engagement.”
Rubio further elucidated that foreign diplomacy is a balancing act that involves navigating treacherous waters delicately with precision and eyes on the end goal. He said the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations will not play out in public, contrary to what the media and public saw in the Oval Office during President Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House last month.
“This is not a reality show, this is not about personality. This is simple: you either do things or you don’t. There are things you’re doing and there are things you’re not doing, That’s what foreign policy is driven by and that’s what decisions should be driven by. Unfortunately in foreign policy, oftentimes you will have to work with, I’m not talking about President Putin in particular, I’m talking generally, you have to work with people you don’t like in foreign policy. And oftentimes, you have disagreements with people you like and sometimes, you have to figure out how to work with nations that are not aligned with you on most issues. In other cases, you might find yourself unaligned with a nation you have worked closely with on other important issues. That’s not just true today, but true throughout history and mankind. Foreign policy is about nation states pursuing what they interpreted to be in their national’s interests, It’s what the act of diplomacy and the act of foreign policy is all about,” Rubio said.
He pointed to the Gaza ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas as a most recent example, noting that the media found out the results after the facts after the negotiations had taken place.
“Foreign policy is about nation states pursuing what they interpreted to be in their national’s interests, It’s what the act of diplomacy and the act of foreign policy is all about”
When asked about his reaction to President Putin’s remarks at a recent press conference in Moscow if it might impact the U.S. decision and if he thinks Putin is using delay tactics to buy more time, Rubio answered that the U.S team will not make decisions based on what a leader says at a press conference or a media post or blog post by the Kremlin, before adding that he does not want to speculate about the negotiation.
“This is going to play out the way things have always played out with the leaders of the countries involved, speaking in the negotiations and these talks that happen. So I’m not going to comment on what President Putin said other than he said he agrees with the concept. There’s reason for cautious optimism, something good could come out. Obviously, we’re going to wait for Ambassador Witkoff to return, we’re going to reconvene. I spoke with him last night. We’re going to reconvene, the President is going to have options for him. Decisions will be made after that,” he said.
He said likewise he does not expect Russia or Ukraine to stake their decisions on what the other party said at a press conference or did. He believes decisions are going to be made the usual way it has always been made behind closed doors with the leaders of the countries involved speaking to each other at the negotiating table, working “through this thing in a normal sane fashion.”
Secretary Rubio also underscored that the ceasefire and peace negotiations are not going to be easy, fast, and simple. “It will be hard, but it’s important work that we’re in a better place today than we were a week ago. We still have a long way to go. It could come together quickly if everyone aligns but I don’t know if we are aligned yet, we’re about to find out.”
When asked if there is a deadline for President Putin to respond, the Secretary responded that it’s much more important to characterize if the negotiating process is moving towards a ceasefire or a delay tactic, which he can’t currently do given the circumstances but noted, “I think we will know sooner than later. The President wanted it to be yesterday or the day before. At least we’re talking about peace for the first time in three years and that’s going to take some time.”
Rubio stated there are two steps in the negotiation to get to the end goal: First, what is needed from both sides to stop the shootings and the fighting so they can get to a negotiating table.
The second step: Every country in the world has a right to security, a right to defend itself, to protect itself, has a right to protect its territory, which will have to be a part of that conversation. It will have to be something that involves the views of the U.S. as well as other countries involved like the European Union—which has imposed significant sanctions on Russia and some Russian citizens in and outside of Russia, so they would have to be engaged in this process and consulted.
“Let’s not predetermined and put everything ahead of itself here. The process of what long-term security means for Ukraine, is something Ukraine will have to agree with and work on within itself and then get to the second phase. We can’t get to the second phase until we get through the first phase because we think it’s very difficult to negotiate lasting peace and security in the midst of an all-out war. We have to try to lower that [tension] so that it made it possible to get to phase two,”
On whether or not Trump will impose additional sanctions on Russia and the G7’s discussion on imposing costs on Russia should that become necessary to include caps on oil prices and additional support for Ukraine using seized sovereign Russian, Rubio said Trump has said the U.S. has those options but he doesn’t want to use sanctions now because he hopes to attract lasting peace.
