Rubio has hope for Ukraine peace proposal in call with Polish foreign minister

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope Wednesday in a call with Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski that a new peace proposal presented to Ukrainian and Russian officials could pave the way for an end to the war.

In a readout of the call, the State Department said Rubio expressed the “United States’ hopes that the peace proposal presented to Ukrainian and Russian officials will be accepted and lead to a lasting peace in Ukraine.”

Rubio “commended Poland’s defense investments as an example for other European nations that must step up and commit more resources for national security,” said the State Department.

The call came as Rubio skipped a key meeting between US, Ukrainian and European officials in London, where efforts to end the war were discussed.

The American delegation was led by Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, while the Ukrainian side included Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Andriy Yermak of the Ukrainian President’s Office.

Representatives from the UK, France and Germany also participated in the talks in London, which were described by Kellog as "positive.

According to a Washington Post report published Tuesday, the US proposal includes the potential recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea and a freezing of the war’s front lines as part of a broader peace agreement.