Rubio: Russia Won’t Take All of Ukraine, and Ukraine Won’t Push Them Back to 2014 Lines

The United States is pushing for a swift resolution to the war in Ukraine, but recognizes that a peace deal may still be far off.

Speaking to The Free Press on April 23, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that while efforts are ongoing, a political solution depends on both Russia and Ukraine showing readiness to engage.

“I don’t know about by the end of the week. I’m hopeful that we can get to something quickly. And I remain hopeful that we can get something done because this is a terrible war and it needs to end, because it has no military solution,” Rubio said.

He stressed that neither side is likely to achieve total victory on the battlefield:

“Russia’s not just going to roll over Ukraine and take the whole country. And Ukraine’s not going to push them all the way back to where they were before 2014.”

According to Rubio, the US is now better positioned to mediate after renewed contact with Moscow.

“What I would say we’re involved in is understanding what the Russian position is. We have a better understanding of that now because we’ve actually spoken to them after three years of not speaking to them,” he explained.

Despite the challenges, Rubio underlined the US commitment to exploring a peaceful path forward.

“We’ve done our best. We’ve put a lot of time and energy at the highest levels of our government. We’ll continue to be willing to do so as long as there’s a realistic path forward.”

However, he noted that the administration may eventually need to shift focus if no progress is made:

“If at some point we determine that we’re just too far apart and not enough movement is happening, we may need to move on to other priorities because there are a lot of important things happening in the world.”

Rubio also emphasized that the war was not initiated by the United States, but Washington is working to help end it:

“This is not our war. We didn’t start this war. We’re trying to help everybody end it. They may be too far apart, but I hope not.”

Ultimately, Rubio stated, the outcome hinges on decisions in Moscow and Kyiv:

“It’s up to Russia, and it’s up to Ukraine. They have to make the decision that they’re willing to move closer to one another, and we need to start to see progress.”

Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire to protect civilian lives and infrastructure. He emphasized Ukraine’s openness to any diplomatic path toward peace and highlighted Kyiv’s proposal to extend the Easter calm for at least 30 days.