Trump needs 'real chance' of ending war to meet Putin, says Rubio

By Eric Martin

 

President Donald Trump will only agree to another meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin if there is a significant opportunity to help end the war in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday. 

 

“There was agreement on both sides that the next time our presidents meet there has to be a concrete result — we have to know going in that we have a real chance to get something positive coming out,” Rubio told reporters after the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting in Ontario, Canada.

 

“We’d love to see that happen, we’d love to see the war end, but we can’t just continue to have meetings for the sake of meetings,” Rubio added. 

 

 

In October, Trump announced surprise plans to hold a new summit with Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine after the two spoke by phone. 

 

But that summit has failed to materialize with Russia tamping down expectations for a quick meeting between the leaders and continuing its attacks on Ukraine. Trump has also moved to increase pressure on Russia to halt the fighting by sanctioning its biggest oil companies.