Rubio Reveals The ‘Only Way’ To Achieve Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio laid out his view on Sunday that the only path toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war is for both nations to make concessions, a position he argued reflects the reality of how peace deals are forged. His comments came just days after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where the two leaders discussed potential frameworks to end the conflict.
.@SecRubio: “The only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something and each side to give something — and that’s been very difficult. If it was easy, this wouldn’t have been going on for 3.5 years… That’s why Zelensky is coming tomorrow.” pic.twitter.com/Z5h2tv9wRz
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 17, 2025
“As you can imagine, everybody goes into a negotiation wanting 100% of what they want. That includes Ukraine, but obviously the Russians. And the only way to reach a deal on anything, whether it’s in business or in politics or in geopolitics, the only way to reach a deal is for each side to get something, and each side to give something,” Rubio told NBC’s Kristen Welker on Meet The Press. He emphasized that the longer a war drags on, the harder it becomes to resolve, because each side continually seeks new leverage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected at the White House on Monday alongside European leaders for further talks with Trump. If those discussions show progress, a follow-up meeting with Putin could be on the horizon. Trump has already signaled that land swaps and security guarantees are central to the talks, though it remains uncertain if both sides will accept such terms.
Adding to the picture, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff revealed to CNN that Putin had privately agreed to allow the United States to extend Article 5-style protection to Ukraine, effectively granting it a core benefit of NATO membership without formal accession. “We sort of were able to bypass that and get an agreement that the United States could offer Article 5 protection, which was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that,” Witkoff explained.
Taken together, Rubio’s acknowledgment of compromise, Trump’s pursuit of land and security arrangements, and Putin’s quiet concession on U.S. defense guarantees suggest the administration is maneuvering toward a historic deal. Whether Zelensky embraces that vision will become clear in the days ahead.