Rubio Contradicts White House on Ukraine Peace Plan, Senators Say
GENEVA – U.S. Senators claim Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed them that a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine originated as a Russian proposal, leaked by Moscow, and is not an American initiative – a direct contradiction of the White House’s assertion that the plan was endorsed by President Donald Trump and drafted by his officials. The revelation comes as talks continue in geneva and amid growing concerns over a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine.
Senators say they contacted Rubio while he was en route to Geneva seeking clarification on the plan’s origins. Republican Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate intelligence committee, stated the group was concerned by the document’s distinctly Russian characteristics, including its writing style. According to the senators, Rubio told them the plan was intentionally leaked by Russia to allow Ukraine to respond and negotiate.
The White House this week affirmed President Trump’s endorsement of the plan, developed by his administration. Though, the senators also reported that Rubio was unaware of a reported U.S. threat to halt intelligence and weapons support to Kyiv if it does not respond to the plan by next Thursday.
These disclosures suggest internal discord within the administration regarding the peace plan, prompting European leaders to bolster support for Kyiv as many interpret Trump’s actions as a significant move toward Moscow and a firm ultimatum for Ukraine.
Following the senators’ statements,a State Department spokesperson dismissed the claim that the plan was not American as “blatantly false.” Rubio subsequently posted on social media, asserting the plan was authored by the U.S. “based on input from the Russian side,” but with “previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.”