US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned European officials that a possible takeover of all of Donbass would not end Russia's territorial claims. According to information reported by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Alex Raufoglou, Rubio made the remarks during talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit, citing Western officials familiar with the discussions.
“This will not satisfy Russia's appetites,” Rubio said, according to the officials quoted. Thus, the US Secretary of State made it clear that possible Russian control over the entire territory of Donbas would not be considered a sufficient condition for ending Russian territorial ambitions.
Ukraine's membership in NATO remains a distant prospect
During the talks, Rubio described Ukraine's accession to NATO as unrealistic in the short term. According to Western representatives quoted in the information, he indicated that Ukraine's possible membership was unacceptable to Russian President Vladimir Putin and practically unfeasible in the near future.
This position was discussed against the background of the search for alternative security guarantees for Kiev. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said his country was ready to consider different options if they had the same legal force as the guarantees associated with NATO membership.
Miami meeting unclear
Rubio also expressed doubts about whether Vladimir Putin would participate in the G-20 summit in Miami scheduled for December. The Russian president's participation has not yet been confirmed.
After the talks, some Western diplomats were left with the impression that Washington does not expect Putin to show readiness for a peace agreement before the spring of 2027. This is an assessment attributed to diplomats and media publications, and not an officially announced forecast by the US government.
The statements attributed to Rubio were made in closed conversations. They do not represent a publicly announced change in the official US position on either Ukraine's NATO membership or the conditions for ending the war.
Sources: news.bg