WASHINGTON, January 15. /TASS/. Marco Rubio, US President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, said the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine will require concessions from all sides.
He made the comments during his confirmation hearing in the Senate.
"It should be the official policy the United States that we want to see it end," Rubio said, referring to the conflict in Ukraine. "What that master plan looks like is going to be hard work. This is not going to be an easy endeavor. It's going to require bold diplomacy."
"My hope is that it could begin with some ceasefire," he went on to say. "In order to achieve objectives like the one that needs to occur in Ukraine, it is important for everyone to be realistic. There will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians, and the United States lends itself there. It's also important that there be some balance on both sides."
"In essence, it will be difficult to achieve this objective of a ceasefire and ultimately a peace settlement, unless both sides have leverage," Rubio continued.
Trump tapped Rubio, 53, for secretary of state on November 13. According to US news media, his confirmation by the Senate is a done deal. Senate Democrats already signaled their support for the nominee. Rubio has served as a Republican senator since January 2011, representing Florida.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier named the conditions for talks with Ukraine, which included withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbass and Novorossiya, an end to Kiev's aspirations to join NATO, lifting all Western sanctions against Moscow and Ukraine’s commitment to uphold a non-aligned and nuclear-free status.