Secretary Marco Rubio: I Am ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About The Russia-Ukraine Negotiations

21 hours ago

During Friday’s press conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff's negotiation meetings with Russia and Ukraine.

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Transcript

00:00We should have used the real backdrop, not the...

00:05Well, let me...

00:06I just had a couple of points, and we'll answer your questions, and I'm sure you're dying

00:08to get home.

00:09So, first, I want to thank Canada.

00:11They did a great job of hosting this, and Foreign Minister Jolie, who had to leave here.

00:16She's going to go be sworn in.

00:18We remain in her post, and she's become a friend in the last few weeks as we've worked

00:21together.

00:22I knew her a little bit before, but gotten to know her now, obviously, in this role.

00:24They did a great job of hosting at a beautiful place, and so we're grateful to them.

00:29I think we have a very strong statement from the G7.

00:31Hopefully, you've gotten that by now and have been able to see it.

00:34Very strong statement on a number of issues of mutual concern.

00:37We touched those topics.

00:38It was a really good engagement, and obviously, there'll be some follow-up, and it sort of

00:41sets up for the leaders meeting later on this year, and we hope that'll be equally productive,

00:47but we felt really good about the statement, worked hard on it.

00:50I think it reflects our points on a number of topics, and I would just say the one takeaway,

00:56you're going to ask me questions about things that are going on in different bilateral relationships

01:01and so forth, but I think what's important, and something I said at the outset, which

01:04everybody agreed with, is that we're not going to allow the things we disagree on, and we'll

01:10disagree on things, to keep us from working closely on the things we agree on, and there

01:14are a lot of those.

01:15Hopefully, the statement reflects that, and our actions will reflect that, and so we feel

01:21really good about it.

01:23The other announcement, and I think that's already reflected in the President's statements,

01:26there was a, what we felt was a very positive and productive engagement yesterday with President

01:32Putin and Special Envoy Whitkoff.

01:35Obviously, he is on his way back.

01:37He should be back, and hopefully, we'll convene this weekend, we'll examine the Russian position

01:42more closely, and determine, the President will then determine what the next steps are.

01:47Suffice it to say, I think there is reason to be cautiously optimistic, but by the same

01:53token, we continue to recognize this is a difficult and complex situation.

01:57It will not be easy, it will not be simple, but we certainly feel like we're at least

02:02some steps closer to ending this war and bringing peace, but it's still a long journey.

02:08It's a journey of many steps, but this is positive momentum.

02:12Obviously, we'll see what Russia and others are willing to do.

02:17It's not just Russia, obviously, it has to be things acceptable to Ukraine, but it's

02:21been a good week on that front, but there's a lot of work that remains to be done.

02:24There's reason to be cautiously optimistic, but we'll know more once Special Envoy Whitkoff,

02:31Ambassador Whitkoff returns, and we have a chance to all convene and talk about it.

02:35Obviously, the President is the ultimate decider on next steps for the United States.

02:39Okay.

Secretary Marco Rubio: I Am ‘Cautiously Optimistic’ About The Russia-Ukraine Negotiations

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