TASHKENT, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict remains a top priority for the U.S. president, and Washington will continue seeking opportunities to facilitate an end to it, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said here Monday.
Over the past nearly two years, the United States has repeatedly engaged in trying to bring about or facilitate an end to the conflict, as U.S. President Donald Trump remains open to taking any action that could help end it despite that progress has not met expectations so far, Rubio told reporters during his visit to Uzbekistan.
Explaining the recent suspension of certain U.S. sanctions on Russia, Rubio said the move was intended to test whether ongoing talks with both Ukraine and Russia could produce positive results and avert another year of disastrous conflict.
Describing the conflict as complex and entrenched where neither side is achieving clear victories while both suffer tremendous damage, Rubio stressed that diplomacy requires continuous efforts. "In the end, the evidence will be whether a deal gets done or not, whether both sides are willing to give in order to end this war," he said.
On recent comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States had briefly paused intelligence sharing with Kiev, Rubio denied the assertion. ■