Trump aims to end Russia-Ukraine war 'once and for all': Marco Rubio

United States President Donald Trump intends to end the Russia-Ukraine war "once and for all," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday (local time). Rubio met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. "Met with Ukrainian President @ZelenskyyUa on Ukraine's security and deepening defence and economic partnerships. President Trump wants a solution that ends the bloodshed once and for all," Marco Rubio wrote on X.

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The meeting comes in the backdrop of a trilateral meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the US, which is expected be held in Geneva on February 17-18.

Zelenskyy Briefs Rubio on War's Impact

Earlier, Zelenskyy stated that he briefed Rubio on Ukraine's situation amid the ongoing war, ahead of the peace talks. He also discussed with Rubio the impact of Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy resources. "During the meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio @SecRubio, I briefed him on the situation at the front, Russian strikes, and the impact of attacks on Ukraine's energy system. We discussed how to help Ukraine protect lives during the winter cold and strengthen our resilience. We also had a detailed discussion about the diplomatic process and trilateral meetings. It is crucial that the talks planned in Geneva be productive, and I thank the United States for their constructive approach. We also addressed the matter of sequencing steps. It is important to make progress on the issues of security guarantees and economic recovery. I am grateful to the United States and to every American heart for the substantial support provided to Ukraine," the Ukrainian premier wrote on X.

Discussions with US Envoys

Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday (local time) discussed the upcoming trilateral meetings in Geneva with United States envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, stating that Kyiv expects the peace talks to be "truly productive." In an X post, the Ukrainian President wrote, "I had a conversation with envoys of President Trump, @SteveWitkoff and @JaredKushner, ahead of the trilateral meetings in Geneva. We count on the meetings being truly productive. We also discussed some developments following the meetings in Abu Dhabi. Not everything can be shared over the phone, and our negotiating team will present Ukraine's position next week." "I also spoke about our meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. We greatly appreciate that America consistently maintains a constructive approach and is ready to assist in protecting lives. I thank President Trump, his team, and the people of the United States for their support," he added.

Russian Delegation for Geneva Talks

Earlier, the US, Russia and Ukraine held trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in January 2026. As reported by TASS, the Russian delegation will be headed by Presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky for the fresh rounds of talks on February 17 and 18. (ANI)