Rubio meets with Ukrainian and EU ministers to advance a lasting peace plan in Ukraine

According to him, the talks included the foreign ministers of Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

Piggott said the parties agreed to “continue working together on diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine by reaching a lasting peace settlement.”

On Aug. 21, Rubio assured European partners that the United States is ready to take part in security guarantees for Ukraine after the war ends, while stressing that Europe must take the lead on the issue.

Ukraine security guarantees
The United States and European countries are urgently working on security guarantees for Ukraine to create conditions for a possible meeting between President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin.

According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. President Donald Trump and European leaders agreed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a special working group. It will include national security advisers and NATO representatives tasked with drafting a security guarantees proposal for Ukraine.

Bloomberg, citing sources, reported that about 10 countries are ready to send troops to Ukraine as a security guarantee.

After Zelenskyy and European leaders met with Trump in the United States, Russian officials began publicly rejecting European proposals on security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a potential peace deal, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War.

On Aug. 21, Reuters, citing sources familiar with the Kremlin’s position, reported that Russia is demanding Ukraine give up Donbas, renounce NATO membership, maintain neutrality, and not host foreign troops on its territory.