Russia and Ukraine Should Focus on Peace Talks, U.S. Says

Oct. 19, 2026 U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. REUTERS / Kylie Cooper / Pool Ukraine and Russia should focus on ending the war between them, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters during his visit to Uzbekistan on Monday. "We see nothing good coming from this war," Rubio said. "We see a lot of downside to it, including the very real risk of escalation and spread of this thing... into another country because of a failed sabotage attack, because of drones that are hit with electronic warfare and they wander into a neighboring country." Rubio landed in Samarkand on Sunday night to meet top officials of the C5+1 grouping, which brings together the United States and the post-Soviet states of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted C5 leaders at the White House last November. Rubio on Monday also appeared to confirm reports that the United States, Russia and China are in talks to hold a trilateral summit of leaders to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. According to those reports, the floated summit would exclude Ukraine. "There's been talks of a meeting. I don't know whether it's been finalized, but the president has been clear. He'd like the war in Ukraine and Russia to end," he said. Trump has so far failed to broker an end to the war in Ukraine despite a frenzy of U.S. diplomatic efforts since he returned to the White House in January 2025. While Washington has been a strong backer of Kyiv over the years, Trump has grown increasingly critical of Ukraine and has gone so far as to suggest that President Volodymyr Zelensky should step down from office. On Sunday, Trump slammed Zelensky for not signing a peace deal with Russia earlier. "He doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did," the president wrote on Truth Social. "He could have made a better deal two years ago than he can now. His country is in shambles." Reuters contributed reporting. Read more about: United States , Ukraine war Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Vance Tells Russia and Ukraine to Accept Peace Terms or Risk U.S. Abandoning Talks The vice president admitted that the U.S. peace plan would require both Russia and Ukraine to “give up some of the territory they currently own.” 2 Min read Trump Doesn’t Want ‘Endless’ Talks With Russia, Rubio Says “We will know soon enough — in a matter of weeks, not months — whether Russia is serious about peace or not,” Rubio said in Brussels. 1 Min read Russia ‘Cannot’ Accept U.S. Ceasefire Proposal in Ukraine, Deputy FM Says “We take the Americans’ proposed models and solutions very seriously, but we also cannot accept them as is,” Sergei Ryabkov said. 2 Min read Ukraine Peace Talks May Drag Into 2026, Russian Negotiator Warns “It would have been naive to expect any breakthroughs,” Russian negotiator Grigory Karasin said of discussions in Saudi Arabia earlier this week. 2 Min read