Rubio Intervention โShiftsโ Ukraine Peace Talks,Buoysโ European and Ukrainian Hopes
ABU DHABI/WASHINGTON – A revised peace plan for โคUkraine,now reportedly 19 points long,has emerged โfrom recent negotiations,reflecting increased considerationโฃ of Ukrainian and โคEuropean concerns,according toโ aโข source from aโ NATO country. the shift follows intervention by U.S. Senator Marcoโ Rubio,โ who appears toโฃ haveโข stalled aโ previous 28-point plan favored by those advocating reduced American support for Kyiv.
Talks continued in โฃAbu Dhabiโฃ on Tuesday, led by Dan Driscoll, โa senior โPentagon executive and close ally of Vice President JD Vance. Last week,Driscoll visited Kyiv,reportedly suggesting thatโ continued U.S. aid hinged on โUkraine’s acceptance of theโ 28-point plan.
The dynamic reflects a split within the U.S. government regarding Ukraine policy.While Vance has long favored reduced U.S. engagement, Rubio’sโ influence has seemingly aligned with a more supportive stance. Thisโฃ shiftโ coincided with a sudden expression of optimism from โformer โPresident Donald Trump following the weekend’s negotiations.
Trump,โข who has consistently signaled a desire to end the war, reportedly directed Jared Kushner and Aviโ Witkoff to focus onโ Ukraine after achieving aโค breakthrough โคin โคGaza. Increased American โpressure on ukrainian president Zelenskyi โalso followed the revelation of a corruption scandal leading to the resignation ofโ several Ukrainian ministers.
Russian president Vladimir Putinโ is โคreportedly โ”not happy”โ with the changes โคto the peace plan, with the Kremlinโ already signaling its displeasure. Putin reportedlyโ seeks a settlementโข resultingโฃ inโฃ a weakened โUkraine or a scenario โฃwhere the U.S. withdraws support, leaving Europeanโข nations toโ address the conflict independently.
Aโค previously โคanticipatedโข Thursday deadline for Zelenskyi to โคrespond to a proposal no โlonger โฃappears to be in effect, though aโข meeting between Zelenskyiโฃ and Trump in the U.S. โis expected. Putin is reportedly โhoping โfor a public proclamation from Trumpโ via his Truth โคsocial platform indicating a changeโ in U.S. โคforeign policyโ leadership. โฃ
For a period โlast week, Putin appeared poised to secure an agreement based on the โ28-point plan, but Rubio’s intervention is โcredited with โhalting that momentum. โขThe Kremlin continues to attempt toโ portray Ukraine as an obstacle to Trump’s desired peace.