Russia must accept Ukraine’s right to security guarantees and alliances - US Secretary of State
Photo: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Getty Images)
Russia must come to terms with the fact that Ukraine, as a sovereign state, has the right to any security alliances it chooses to make at its own discretion. Similarly, the Kremlin must understand that Ukraine has the full right to security guarantees, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says to ABC News.
Rubio recalled that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly delivered speeches over several years of war in which he claimed much of Ukraine. At the same time, Ukraine and its people do not agree with everything he says or wants.
"The second point I would make is, the President has said repeatedly, which it comes to territories and territorial claims, that’s ultimately something that Ukraine will have to decide. It’s their territory. It’s their country. Ultimately, what they’re willing to live with is what they’ll have to decide on,” the US Secretary of State noted.
Rubio revealed that the US does not yet know whether Ukrainians would agree to live while losing part of their territories to Russia. But what the US does know for sure is that Ukraine has repeatedly spoken about security guarantees that could protect it from another attack by Russia.
"They (Ukrainians - ed.) need to be able to enter into security guarantees that ensure that this is never going to happen again, that they’re not going to get reinvaded in two and a half or three years or four years or whenever it may be," the US Secretary of State explained.
Rubio added that Ukrainians want peace, the ability to live, and to rebuild their country.
"That’s a very reasonable request. That’s something we’re working on. And that’s something the Russian side has to understand, obviously, is that as a sovereign country, Ukraine has a right, like every sovereign country, to enter into security alliances and agreements with other countries," the US Secretary of State summarized.
Earlier, Rubio assured that Ukraine is not ready to give up its territories, and the US is not pressuring Kyiv to hand over all regions occupied by Russia. However, Rubio suggested that each side in an agreement must receive something and give something.
According to the US Secretary of State, there is only one way to end the war in Ukraine. It involves forcing the Russians to agree to a peace deal. This, he said, will be discussed in Washington on August 18.
