Marco Rubio Reveals One Thing Zelensky Needs ‘To Believe’ For Russia-Ukraine Peace [WATCH]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that the path to ending the war between Ukraine and Russia hinges on Ukraine’s security assurances moving forward.

Rubio’s comments came during an interview on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime as he discussed President Donald Trump’s recent meetings with world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

When asked whether Ukraine would need to concede to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s territorial demands, Rubio avoided specifics, saying negotiations were best conducted privately.

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“When we have a deal, I’ll describe it to you for sure,” Rubio said.

“But look, that’s why you got to give these guys space to work. They have their own constituencies, OK? They have their own considerations, and you don’t want to give away one side’s leverage in that regard. But let me just say this about it. I think everyone understands that some of the key elements to bringing this about is Ukraine has to feel safe moving forward.”

He continued by emphasizing the importance of security guarantees for Kyiv.

“In essence, they have to believe that at the end of this war they are in a position to never get invaded again,” Rubio explained.

“I think what’s also true — and I think it’s common sense, and I don’t know why it’s so hard for a lot of people to understand it — is in any negotiation to bring about the end of a war or any conflict for that matter, it’s going to require both sides to receive but also to give. In essence, one side is not going to get 100% here.”

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Rubio’s remarks came as Trump continues a series of diplomatic meetings aimed at brokering an end to the conflict.

On Friday, the President met with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, marking the first face-to-face discussions between the two leaders in months. The summit followed repeated calls from Trump for both sides to pursue peace despite ongoing hostilities.

The negotiations have also involved U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin on Aug. 6.

Reports following that meeting suggested the Russian leader might consider halting the war in exchange for Ukraine ceding control of the Donbas region, where a large Russian-speaking population resides.

Zelensky publicly rejected the proposal, telling reporters Tuesday, “For Russians, Donbas is a bridgehead for a future new offensive,” according to Business Standard.

Rubio acknowledged the difficulty of resolving territorial disputes but stressed that compromise is often required to end wars.

“Each side is going to have to make some concessions and, obviously, land or where you draw those lines — where the war stops is going to be part of that conversation. It’s not easy, and maybe it’s not even fair, but it’s what it takes in order to bring about an end to a war. That has been true in every war,” he said.

“The only wars that don’t end that way are the ones that have unconditional surrender by one side or the other, and we’re not going to see that in this conflict.”

Rubio added that the Trump administration is committed to facilitating talks without dictating terms.

“The president’s been very clear in the end what those lines look like are up to Putin and up to Zelensky and up to the Ukrainian side to decide what each of them can live with. We are going to be there to facilitate that and make that possible and make sure that both sides are talking,” Rubio said.

“We should be proud that we have a president that’s made peace a priority in his administration.”

While details of the negotiations remain undisclosed, both Trump and Putin told reporters after the Alaska summit that discussions were moving in a positive direction, though no agreement was finalized.

Trump said in a Fox News interview Friday that Zelenskyy and Putin are expected to meet next, and he may also attend those talks.