CNN
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Ukrainian President Voldimia Zelensky should apologise after he left his meeting with President Donald Trump in the Ukrainian office to what Rubio described as a “bad failure” and questioned whether Ukrainian leaders wanted peace in the war with Russia.
In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Rubio called Zelensky “apologised for apologizing for turning this into him for him and for him,” following a White House meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. “There was no need for him to go there and be hostile,” he said on “Source” Friday.
“When you started talking actively about it, and when the president was a contract maker, he contracted his entire life – you’re not going to take people to the table,” Rubio said.
“So you start to realize that Zelensky might not want a peace deal. He says he does, but maybe he won’t,” Rubio added.
Rubio’s remarks highlighted the serious damages that were inflicted on the relationship between the US and women at the end of the week as British and French leaders visit Washington to make the case that the US needs to mediate an end to the war that doesn’t prioritize Russian President Vladimir Putin’s interests over Zelensky.
The top American diplomat spoke to CNN hours after attending the meeting, but ultimately ended the deal that would utilize Ukraine’s rare earth minerals and end the Russian Three Years’ War.
Instead, we saw Trump and Vance accusing Ukrainian leaders of overplaying his ability to negotiate, seeing them as inadequately grateful for the support the United States is already providing to Ukraine.
Following the meeting, Trump ordered Zelensky to leave the White House despite his desire to continue consultations from Ukraine, abolishing the scheduled joint press conference, and, along with Zelensky’s own future as leader, seriously doubted the future of US support for the efforts of the Ukrainian war.
Asked about comments by South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham (usually a strong Ukrainian supporter), Zelensky responded after a meeting to consider resignation, Rubio replied that Trump “has not taken a stand on that.”
“What he said today is, ‘Please come back when he’s ready to have peace.’ That’s what he said,” Rubio said. The secretary added that Trump’s position on Putin remains “trust but confirm.”
On Friday evening, Trump said he wanted a “peacemaker” to lead Ukraine, adding that Zelensky “may or not” could achieve that.
Rubio also had problems with Zelensky’s tone towards Vance during the meeting.
After the vice president said the path to peace and prosperity was “probably engaged in diplomacy,” Zelensky responded with rattles of diplomatic engagements Putin had joined before the 2022 full-scale Ukrainian invasion.
“What kind of diplomacy, JD, are you talking?” Zelensky asked. Vance called the Ukrainian leader “disrespectful” who “sought to sue this in front of the American media.”
Rubio said the meeting “off the rail” after that interaction.
“The undermining of positive and open efforts in peace efforts is extremely frustrating for all who have been involved in communication with them to this day. I think he should apologise for wasting our time on meetings where it ended,” the secretary said.
Rubio said Zelensky will be welcomed by the White House when he is “ready to create peace and takes peace seriously.”
“How do you bring Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation to the table to discuss whether or not there is an opportunity for peace?” Rubio said. “I’m not going to do that by calling my name.”
Rubio said it’s too early to think about whether Trump, Putin and Zelensky will eventually meet for peace talks. This is a complex war that culminates behind it, dating back many years ago, and there’s a lot to navigate. Many people are invested on both sides. ”
“People will die in Ukraine tonight,” Rubio said. “Tonight, people will die in this conflict. We are about to end this conflict. This is unsustainable. It is an unsustainable and bloody war and we must come to an end. And now the only leader in the world can put an end to this. He is named President Donald Trump, so we need to give him the opportunity to try it.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
