Rubio Says Ukraine Might Have to Give It Up – But Can They Handle It?

A hard truth is emerging in the Ukraine-Russia conflict: peace may come at a price. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that Ukraine might have to surrender some of its territory to Moscow if it hopes to end the war. But as Western diplomats warn, Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t budging on his demands.

Rubio’s remarks came ahead of today’s high-stakes peace talks in Saudi Arabia. He made it clear—Ukraine must face reality. “Both sides need to come to an understanding that there’s no military solution to this situation,” he said. While Russia has failed to conquer all of Ukraine, he added, “it’ll be very difficult for Ukraine in any reasonable time period to sort of force the Russians back all the way to where they were in 2014.”

A U.S.-backed proposal is already on the table. It calls for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, the release of prisoners of war, and the return of civilian detainees. Washington confirmed its commitment, stating it is “discussing these specific proposals with representatives from Russia.”

President Trump also addressed the issue, saying he plans to speak with Putin soon in an effort to push the deal forward. But despite Washington’s optimism, many Western officials remain skeptical.

Putin, according to intelligence reports, is unwilling to make any compromises. He has repeatedly stated that he will not give up a single inch of land seized during the three-year invasion. More concerning, he flatly rejects the idea of Western peacekeepers entering Ukraine.

Kremlin insiders suggest Putin is betting on prolonging the war. Security analysts told Bloomberg that Moscow is sticking to its “maximalist” demands—knowing full well they are unacceptable to Ukraine and its allies. The goal, they said, is to maintain pressure until the West concedes.

Adding another layer of doubt, Putin has questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s legitimacy in the negotiations. His strategy? Shift blame onto Zelensky for any failure in the peace process, according to sources familiar with Moscow’s thinking.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insists Russia is willing to talk. “Russia is open for peace efforts, for peace settlement around Ukraine, and we actually prefer to reach our goals through peaceful and diplomatic means,” he stated. But so far, Moscow has not disclosed any willingness to make real concessions.

Zelensky, for his part, has signaled he might consider territorial losses—but only if Ukraine is granted NATO membership and ironclad security guarantees. The European Union has demanded a “just and lasting peace,” but Russia has so far only entertained discussions of a temporary truce.

Beyond territorial disputes, another major issue looms: military aid and intelligence sharing. Trump’s earlier decision to pause aid to Ukraine rattled the relationship between the two countries. However, Rubio’s team has now resolved the freeze, reopening critical support lines to Kyiv.

Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is spearheading the negotiations alongside Rubio. He remains “hopeful” that the ongoing discussions will persuade Zelensky to sign off on a stalled minerals deal.

The deal, if revived, would be a game-changer. It grants the U.S. access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of critical and rare-earth minerals—an industry with immense strategic and economic value. While the war’s outcome remains uncertain, one thing is clear: every side is maneuvering for long-term advantage, both on the battlefield and beyond.