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During a refueling stop at Shannon Airport in Ireland on March 12, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the media while en route from discussions with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia to a G7 Foreign Ministers meeting in Canada.
Rubio indicated that President Donald Trump has not yet imposed sanctions on Russia due to hopes from the White House that diplomatic efforts could still lead to an end to the conflict in Ukraine.
“Initiating sanctions would signal a retreat from these efforts,” Rubio remarked in an interview on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’
He characterized the upcoming week as “very critical,” suggesting that it would help the administration gauge whether continued engagement in the situation is warranted.
Rubio acknowledged a balance between optimism and realism, stating, “We are close, but not sufficiently so.” He emphasized the need to assess the intentions of both parties regarding peace, particularly after 90 days of negotiation attempts.
His remarks come amid Trump’s intensified push for a peace agreement, following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which discussions of potential stricter sanctions against Moscow were raised.
Rubio asserted that Trump has achieved “real progress” in efforts to resolve the conflict but cautioned that the final steps toward peace will be the most challenging and must happen promptly.
“We cannot afford to invest time and resources indefinitely if this endeavor does not yield results,” he added.
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On the same day, Trump expressed doubt about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war, raising concerns about the ongoing toll of the conflict.
Trump stated, “It makes me wonder if he genuinely wants to stop the war or if he’s merely stalling, and needs to be approached differently, perhaps through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many lives are being lost!” He shared these thoughts on Truth Social shortly after a private meeting with Zelenskyy in Rome, which the White House described as a “productive discussion.”
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