Rubio has stated that the US is ready to mediate following Russia’s latest threats against Kyiv
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on 26 May that the United States remains ready to act as a mediator in the war between Russia and Ukraine, according to France24.
His statement came after fresh threats from Moscow regarding Kyiv and a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“Every time you see large-scale strikes from one side or the other, it is a reminder of why this horrific war, which has now lasted longer than the Second World War, must end,” Rubio said during a visit to India.
He added that the US was “ready to do everything possible” to help bring the war to an end.
The day before, Russia carried out massive strikes on Ukraine. According to the Russian side, among other things, the “Oreshnik” hypersonic missile was used, capable of reaching speeds ten times faster than the speed of sound and carrying a nuclear warhead.
Russian strikes on Kyiv over the weekend claimed the lives of four people and caused widespread destruction.
Moscow stated that the strikes were in response to an attack on a vocational college in the occupied Luhansk region, where, according to the Russian side, 21 people were killed. Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the military to prepare a response.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the start of “systematic strikes” on Ukrainian military-industrial facilities in Kyiv.
The statement also mentioned possible strikes on “decision-making centres” and command posts. The Russian side urged foreign nationals, diplomats and representatives of international organisations to leave Kyiv “as soon as possible”.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Sergey Lavrov, during a conversation with Marco Rubio, called for the evacuation of American diplomats from Kyiv.
Rubio responded by stating that Russia had “sent a message to all embassies”, not just the US mission.
Ukraine and its Western partners reacted critically to these statements.
A spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Paris was “used to Putin’s threats” and was not considering the possibility of evacuating diplomats.
The European Union’s Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, wrote on Facebook: “We are not going anywhere.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga called the Russian statements “rhetoric” and urged partners not to succumb to Russian blackmail.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been ongoing since February 2022. US-mediated talks on a ceasefire have effectively stalled in recent months against the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East.
