Sunday saw Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio breaking bread with officials from Ukraine in Rome, while visiting there to attend the inauguration of the new pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. As my colleague Ward Clark wrote, the U.S. delegation met up with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials in his government.
President Trump announced on Saturday that he plans to continue the brokering of a possible peace treaty by talking via phone with the leaders of both Ukraine and Russia on Monday. He also said he would speak with some NATO members after the Putin call.
Some of the prep work ahead of the president’s phone calls with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin was squared away on Saturday, also, when Rubio had a phone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
SecState Rubio, in a new interview Sunday with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” spoke about his impressions of that conversation, saying he’s hoping that “a series of ideas and requirements” that the Russians are putting together on their side will move the negotiations forward:
He communicated in our call, that they are, their side will be working on a series of ideas and requirements that they would have in order to move forward with a ceasefire and further negotiations,
So we’ll await that, and hopefully it’s a document that is close enough to what the Ukrainians want to be able to get to that point and maybe work out those differences.
Rubio also talked about how the U.S. role in the peace negotiations happening around the world is starting to shift–hinting that it’s part and parcel of the administration being “willing to do whatever it takes” to get Zelensky and Putin at the same table:
We’re no longer flying all over the world trying to set up meetings; we’re responding to meetings that are set up and we always said we’re willing to do whatever it takes to bring them together if the opportunities present themselves.
How interesting would it be, to a fly on the wall during those Oval Office calls tomorrow–particularly since it has been just about a month since Pres. Trump called out Putin for Russian air strikes on Kyiv. Likewise, the president has not minced words with Zelensky about the latter’s obstinence over Crimea.
READ: Donald Trump Takes Putin to Task After Major Russian Strike on Kyiv Overnight: ‘Vladimir, Stop!’
In Sunday’s interview, Rubio shared that something else will take place– a meeting between Trump and Putin:
He also answered the looming question on Russia, as the U.S. presses both nations to take the next step on talks. “Are they tapping us along? Well, that’s what we’re trying to find out, and we’ll find out pretty soon,” he said.
RedState will keep you posted, readers.
[Editor’s Note: This article was edited for clarity after publication.]
Editor’s Note: President Trump is leading America into the “Golden Age” as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
Help us continue reporting on President Trump’s success. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
