Republican Senator Marco Rubio was confirmed as the brand new U.S. secretary of state on Jan. 20, turning into the primary member of President Donald Trump's new cupboard.
In a uncommon show of bipartisan consensus, Rubio was confirmed simply hours after Trump was sworn in for a second time period within the White Home.
As state secretary, Rubio will oversee the implementation of Trump’s international coverage, together with that referring to Ukraine and Russia's full-scale invasion — neither of which have been instantly referred to by the brand new president throughout his inauguration speech.
Since Rubio was nominated for the place in early November, the alerts coming from Trump and people round him about how the warfare in Ukraine would possibly finish have shifted dramatically, going from a swift finish in "in 24 hours," to a way more drawn out course of that would take "100 days."
"It’s a fancy battle and a bloody one, and it wants to finish," Rubio stated after being confirmed.
Whatever the method the Trump administration takes, Rubio might be on the forefront of any peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Who's Marco Rubio?
Rubio, 53, is a former Republican senator from Florida. The son of Cuban immigrants, he could be the primary Latino U.S. secretary of state.
Rubio ran for the Republican nomination for U.S. president in 2016 however misplaced out to Trump after a heated, and at instances bitter contest. Regardless of the rivalry on the time, Rubio went on to endorse Trump in 2016, albeit in not essentially the most convincing of phrases.
“I disagree with him on many issues, however I disagree along with his opponent on nearly all the pieces. I want we had higher selections for president,” he stated.
He endorsed Trump as soon as once more in 2024.
Amid Rubio’s affirmation, Trump revoked the previous U.S. President Joe Biden’s last-minute choice to take away Cuba from the U.S. checklist of state sponsors of terrorism in what grew to become the primary international coverage decree by the brand new administration.
“Cuba belongs on the checklist,” Rubio stated a number of days prior.
How necessary is the U.S. secretary of state for Ukraine?
The secretary of state job is Washington’s prime diplomatic place, and the particular person on this position is answerable for "finishing up the president's international coverage selections and advising the president on problems with worldwide concern," in keeping with the Nationwide Museum of American Diplomacy.
Rubio replaces Antony Blinken, who performed a number one position within the U.S.-Ukraine relations all through Russia's full-scale invasion launched in early 2022.
It was Blinken, alongside along with his British counterpart David Lammy, who in September first acquired President Volodymyr Zelensky's detailed account of why Ukraine wants permission to strike targets deep inside Russia utilizing Western missiles.
Blinken has made quite a few necessary bulletins concerning Ukraine, together with humanitarian help from the U.S., the availability of air defenses, and F-16 fighter jets. He has additionally made quite a few journeys to Kyiv throughout Russia’s full-blown warfare in opposition to Ukraine.
Whereas on the job, Blinken was largely supportive of Ukraine and of offering Kyiv with what is required to battle again in opposition to Russia's invasion.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek
What has Rubio stated about Ukraine?
Rubio has publicly praised the bravery of Ukrainian defenders however was among the many 15 Republican lawmakers within the Senate who voted in opposition to the $61 billion assist bundle for Ukraine in early 2024. Its delay severely hampered Ukraine's battle in opposition to Russian forces.
When it comes to a decision to the warfare, Rubio's statements and actions have been very a lot geared in the direction of negotiation and an finish to the combating reasonably than giving Ukraine what it must push Russian forces from its territory.
"I feel the Ukrainians have been extremely courageous and powerful in standing as much as Russia," Rubio stated on Nov. 6.
"However on the finish of the day, what we’re funding here’s a stalemate warfare, and it must be delivered to a conclusion, or that nation goes to be set again 100 years."
In September, he insisted he was "not on Russia’s aspect" however that the "actuality of it’s that the best way the warfare in Ukraine goes to finish is with a negotiated settlement."
"I might be snug with a deal that ends these hostilities and that I feel is favorable to Ukraine, that means that they’ve their very own sovereignty, that they don’t grow to be a satellite tv for pc state or a puppet state that’s continually held hostage by the Russians. I’m not going to prejudge any settlement."
Rubio has shunned setting out any type of timeline, and based mostly on public statements, it's been left as much as different members of the Trump administration to handle expectations.
On the marketing campaign path, Trump repeatedly stated he might finish Russia's warfare inside 24 hours if elected president, with out ever elaborating on how he deliberate to realize it.
After profitable the presidential election in November, these expectations have been considerably dampened by Keith Kellogg, Trump's alternative for particular envoy for Ukraine and Russia, who stated adjusted the timeline to inside 100 days.
Requested on Jan. 20 a couple of timeframe for ending the warfare, Rubio didn’t present any particular deadline however stated that negotiating a ceasefire could be a "prime precedence to the president, so it’ll (start) virtually instantly."
"In truth, a few of that’s already begun. You’ll hope that among the groundwork has already been laid, nevertheless it’ll be complicated. I imply, it’s a fancy battle and a bloody one, and it wants to finish," he was quoted as saying by CNN.
What would possibly this peace deal appear like in actuality?
It's too early to say what kind of peace deal Trump's new administration will pursue and be capable of forge.
"I don’t — couldn’t put a time-frame on it, aside from to say that anytime you deliver an finish to a battle between two sides, neither of whom can obtain their most targets, either side goes to have to surrender one thing," Rubio stated on Jan. 20, with out specifying what these concessions may be.
"Russia is the aggressor on this battle, however this warfare wants to finish. And in the end, that’s the complexity of international coverage."
Some studies in latest months have offered clues as to the form of any peace course of.
The most recent report got here final month when the Monetary Instances, citing its sources near Trump's group, reported that he deliberate to freeze the warfare.
Based on the paper, the brand new Vice President J.D. Vance, in September outlined the concept of freezing the warfare by establishing autonomous areas on each side of the demilitarized zone and leaving Ukraine exterior the NATO army alliance.
Based on one among Trump's longtime advisors, the brand new plan would rethink the failed Minsk agreements of 2014 and 2015, which have been by no means carried out.
The agreements contained a plan that may create quickly autonomous zones in Russian-occupied components of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts which might later be totally reintegrated with the remainder of Ukraine. Occupied Crimea was not talked about within the Minsk agreements.
In July, Politico reported that Trump was reportedly contemplating the potential of making a take care of Russia to dam the long run NATO accession of sure international locations, particularly Ukraine and Georgia.
One of many sources informed Politico that Trump "could be open to one thing foreclosing NATO enlargement and never going again to the 1991 borders for Ukraine.
Zelensky and different Ukrainian officers have pushed again in opposition to the notion of any type of ceasefire that may cement Russia's battlefield positive factors.
“When (Putin) positive factors energy, he would possibly situation an ultimatum — to acknowledge all occupied territories, to remain out of NATO, to neglect about European integration,” Zelensky stated in June.“And there might be many such situations, relying on how sturdy (Putin) is at that second. Subsequently, a ceasefire is a lure,” Zelensky added.
The Kyiv IndependentBoldizsar Gyori
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