By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will have direct contact with Russian officials on Wednesday, as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the over three-year-long war in Ukraine.
"We strongly urge Russians to end all hostilities so people will stop dying, so bullets will stop flying," he said.
Speaking from Ireland, Rubio emphasized that there is no military solution to the war and called for a diplomatic resolution.
“There is no military solution to this conflict,” he said, but underscored the importance of ensuring that Ukraine has a "sufficient deterrent against future attacks."
Rubio also addressed Tuesday's discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the potential path toward peace. He said the talks focused on what a negotiation process would look like, including "conversations about territorial concessions."
According to a joint statement after the negotiations, the US lifted its suspension of military aid for Kyiv, as Ukrainian officials signaled they were open to a 30-day ceasefire.
On a potential critical minerals deal between Ukraine and the US, the secretary of state said he does not characterize it as a security guarantee.
Asked about the possibility of Russian refusal to cease hostilities, Rubio said: "If Russia says no, it will tell us a lot."