Marco Rubio: “We see nothing good in this war. We see many negative aspects, including the very real risk of escalation and the conflict spreading to another country because of a failed sabotage attack”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday, during his visit to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, that Ukraine and Russia should focus on ending the war. The conflict has lasted four years, and the United States is trying to mediate a peace agreement.

Rubio warned that prolonging the conflict entails serious risks of escalation and expansion, including through failed sabotage attacks or drones accidentally diverted toward neighboring countries because of electronic warfare.

Asked about a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Rubio said that this option had been discussed, but he did not know whether a decision had been made.

The U.S. official was in Uzbekistan for meetings with representatives of the C5+1 group, formed by the United States and the five post-Soviet Central Asian states. The Trump administration has meanwhile adopted measures intended to keep Moscow at the negotiating table, including an agreement on diesel imports and the lifting of some sanctions.