Rubio made the remarks in an interview with the Greek outlet Kathimerini during a visit to Athens. He said the situation in the war amounts to a "strategic deadlock" that carries risks.
"Strategic deadlocks are resolved in only two ways: either through negotiations, or through escalation by one or both sides, which ultimately goes beyond the original conflict," Rubio said. According to him, there are currently no prospects for a settlement through negotiations.
The reason the secretary of state cited: Russia sets full control over Donetsk as a condition, while Ukraine rejects this as unacceptable. Moscow had previously insisted on full control over the entire Donbas.
According to Rubio, the United States "shares the concern of the entire world" about the risk of escalation in which the conflict "could affect other countries and grow into a larger confrontation." At the same time, he noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have increased their capabilities for long-range strikes on Russia, and attacks on vessels in the Black Sea continue.
According to Rubio, there are "clear signs" that Putin intends to use the coming winter to completely destroy Ukraine's energy system and force it to capitulate. The secretary of state added that the United States remains ready to play a constructive role in the negotiation process, but for now that goal remains unattainable.
"This war has been going on for a fifth year now, although initially no one planned such a development. I don't think this is how Putin imagined this conflict, so events have not gone according to the scenario he intended," Rubio said.
Direct talks between Russia and Ukraine mediated by the United States took place in early 2026. They were interrupted by the outbreak of war between the United States and Israel and Iran and have not resumed. Both Ukraine and Russia officially state their readiness for new rounds.
On September 23, the Kremlin said it saw no preconditions for moving onto a peace track in the negotiations. Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov attributed this to the ongoing militarization of Ukraine and the purchase of weapons by European states.
In late August and early September, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, as well as Trump representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, visited Moscow for the purpose of a settlement. According to Bloomberg sources, Putin did not demonstrate readiness to soften his position.
The same Bloomberg interlocutors said that over the coming six months Russia plans strikes on Ukraine's energy system and heating supply to make life unbearable for civilians, as well as to intensify hybrid attacks in Europe to undermine support for Kyiv. According to The New York Times, Putin assured that his army would capture all of the Donbas "in the coming months," of which it currently controls roughly 80%. Kushner responded to this by saying that Putin had made the same promises a year earlier.