Marco Rubio (Photo: John McDonnell / Getty Images
“We have tried to play the role of mediator, but so far it has not led to a fruitful outcome for a number of reasons,” Rubio said, while noting that Washington remains ready to mediate if there is a chance of real progress, The Guardian reported.
According to the Secretary of State, the U.S. does not want to waste resources on a process that is not moving forward. At the same time, he emphasized that Washington was ready to return to the role of mediator if it would bring the parties closer to an agreement.
Rubio also called the conflict a “tragedy,” noting that both Ukraine and Russia are bearing “a very high price – both economic and human.” He added that if a “real window of opportunity” emerges, the US is ready to re-engage in the talks.
Against the background of these statements, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that Moscow was open to negotiations, but, according to her, the US side was now focused on other international crises, including the situation in the Middle East.
Earlier in public statements, Washington has already admitted that diplomatic efforts on Ukraine are facing serious difficulties and are not yielding the expected results, which increases uncertainty around possible negotiations.
