Marco Rubio Faces G7 Pressure Over Ukraine Peace Terms

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told G7 foreign ministers in Paris that ending the war in Ukraine requires a mutual agreement between Moscow and Kyiv. Rubio asserted that security guarantees for Ukraine would be ineffective without Russian consent and noted that Washington has not decided whether to formalize such guarantees via an international treaty, citing potential approval difficulties in Congress.

European allies responded by demanding that Europe be included in any final agreement. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul rejected calls for a fundamental change to the continent's security architecture, arguing that no solution is possible without European involvement. Wadephul also questioned Russia's sincerity in negotiating while it continues to attack Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

These discussions coincided with the start of U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi, where the U.S. is expected to present new proposals. The G7 meeting also served as Rubio's first engagement with allies following Republican losses in the U.S. midterm elections. Allies expressed concern over unilateral U.S. policy shifts, including reduced support for Ukraine and scaled-back sanctions on Russia, while voicing skepticism regarding U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran.