Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Sunday that the resolution of the Ukraine war hinges on both parties engaging in talks, with an emphasis on the involvement of the Russian side. "We are trying to end a war. You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table, starting with the Russians," Rubio mentioned during an interview on ABC News' This Week program.

According to Anadolu Agency, Rubio remarked on the necessity of bringing Russia to the negotiating table, acknowledging the difficulty of the task. "I'm not promising you it's possible. I'm not telling you it's 90% likely. I'm saying it's 0% likely if we don't get them to a negotiating table," he elaborated. Rubio also defended US President Donald Trump's strategy of engaging Russia in dialogue, suggesting that a confrontational approach would be counterproductive.

Rubio highlighted the importance of diplomacy, stating, "We have to bring [Russia] to the table. You're not going to bring them to the table if you're calling them names, if you're being antagonistic. That's just the president's instincts from years and years and years of putting together deals." He clarified that he had not been in contact with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a contentious meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House.

Furthermore, Rubio commented on President Trump's potential recognition, saying Trump would be "on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize" if affiliated with the Democratic Party. He criticized the political bias, noting, "If this was a Democrat that was doing this, everyone would be saying, 'Well, he's on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize.' This is absurd."

When questioned about Trump's recent characterizations of Zelenskyy as a dictator, Rubio responded by emphasizing the irrelevance of name-calling in the current diplomatic efforts. "Listen, we've spent three years calling Vladimir Putin names. That's not the point now," he concluded.