Rubio: Ukraine and Russia literally fighting over 20% of Donetsk Oblast
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the key issue in the Russia-Ukraine war is the territorial question, he said in an interview with Fox News.
“What they are fighting over is 30 to 50 kilometer space and the 20% of the region that remains. So what we've tried to do, and I think they have made some progress, is figure out what can the Ukrainians live with that gives them security guarantees for the future,” Rubio said.
The U.S. secretary of state also noted that the United States seeks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, ensure the sides do not attack each other, and protect Ukraine's sovereignty and independence so it does not become a puppet state.
In addition, Washington wants Ukraine's economy after the war "not just to recover but to prosper."
In Rubio's opinion, if the "right things" are done, Ukraine's GDP could eventually surpass Russia's.
"What will Russia agree to? At the end of the day it's not up to us. It's not our war. It's on another continent. We're engaged because we're the only ones that can. There is no one else in the world that can do it. The only leader in the world that can talk to both sides and make a deal if a deal is possible," he said.