Top US diplomat says prospects of negotiated settlement in Ukraine 'elusive'

Ukraine crisisTop US diplomat says prospects of negotiated settlement in Ukraine 'elusive' Marco Rubio called the conflict a "strategic stalemate" nowATHENS, October 8. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the path toward a negotiated way out of the Ukraine conflict has been slippery. "We stand prepared to facilitate and continue to explore any opportunity for a negotiated settlement. We think it would be good for Russia and Ukraine, but so far, it’s proving elusive," the top US diplomat told the Greek daily Kathimerini in an interview. Rubio called the conflict a "strategic stalemate" now. "Strategic stalemates are only broken in one of two ways: a) through a negotiated settlement, or b) through escalation by one side or both that ends up spreading beyond the confines of the original conflict. Right now, there don’t seem to be prospects of a negotiated settlement," he noted. Washington is still prepared to play a constructive role though, the diplomat added. TagsUkraine crisisUnited StatesTokyo considers allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into Japan — newspaperA provision allowing nuclear weapons to be brought into the country as an exception may be included in new fundamental documents on security, which the Japanese government plans to adopt at the end of the yearRead moreLithuanian army to send up to 100 troops to border with Russia’s Kaliningrad RegionAccording to the Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas, the army will be stationed at the border for the next few weeksRead moreBank of Russia lowers dollar rate to 85.48 rubles for October 8The official euro rate was increased by 29.74 kopecks to 96.3287 rublesRead moreWhat we know about attack on oil tanker in Black Sea with unmanned surface vehiclesThe tanker's crew of 23 Indian nationals has been rescuedRead moreKherson Region children's ombudsman calls UAV blow on car with father of 13 kids terrorIrina Kravchenko said that there can be no justification for such actionsRead morePress review: Black Sea ceasefire efforts gain momentum as Houthi advances raise war riskTop stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 7thRead moreRussia ready to help US combat outbreaks of infectious diseases — sanitary watchdogRospotrebnadzor explained that the measles situation in three US states had deteriorated significantly in recent weeksRead moreMali to buy Kamaz trucks worth $51.5 mlnThe contract, signed in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement between Mali and Russia, is aimed at expanding Mali’s transport and logistics capacityRead moreRussia cuts pipeline gas supplies to Turkey by 17% in eight monthsRussian gas supplies to Turkey via pipelines reached 12.1 bln cubic meters in January-AugustRead moreMissile production plant in Ukraine halts production after Russian strikesProduction and warehouse facilities sustained serious damageRead moreTrump promises to prevent destruction of San Diego, Los AngelesWhite House Communications Director Steven Cheung later stated that Donald Trump was referring to a potential threat to American cities if the US did not take military action against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programRead moreThailand eyeing introduction of departure fee — newspaperThe collection of the fee is planned to be delegated to airlines, which will include it in the ticket price at the time of bookingRead morePutin to make two-day visit to Turkmenistan to take part in CIS summitVladimir Putin's first day on the Caspian coast will be devoted to protocol events related to the arrival of many distinguished guestsRead moreEU, NATO to squeeze Kiev regime for everything it has — Russian delegation headHead of the Russian delegation to the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control Yulia Zhdanova emphasized that the West primarily "needs experience in high-intensity combat"Read moreIsrael to close UK consulate but won’t expel diplomats — newspaperEarlier, London had threatened to expel 30 Israeli diplomats from the UK in response to Israeli actionsRead moreCIS countries need to coordinate within UN — secretary generalSergey Lebedev noted that Turkmenistan played a leading role at the UN as a neutral stateRead moreNo reason for international uproar over Alyoshki situation — governorAccording to Vladimir Saldo, the situation in the Kherson Region city of Alyoshki is not so criticalRead moreWHO reports thousands of suspected plague cases worldwide each yearAccording to the Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department Director Maria Van Kerkhove, between 2019 and 2025, ten countries reported nearly 4,000 suspected human plague cases and 423 related deaths to the organizationRead moreMoscow court fines Zoom around $772,110The company was fined for failing to comply with obligations established by Russian law governing the activities of foreign entities on the InternetRead morePress review: Slovakia blocks Russian asset seizure as Europe youth protests spreadTop stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, October 6thRead moreMajor deployment point of Colombian mercenaries destroyed near KharkovAccording to Russian security agencies, the total number of foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian armed forces currently stands at about 16,500Read moreUkraine’s attempts at agricultural intervention in EU market to hinder accession — envoyRodion Miroshnik said that Ukraine's neighboring countries "will most likely fight tooth and nail against Ukrainian agricultural products entering the European market and effectively suffocating farms"Read moreRussian delegation warns confrontation with West could enter most severe phaseAccording to Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Western politicians continue to intensify their military rhetoricRead moreIranian army to decisively strike US forces should they launch ground operation — TVAccording to the TV channel, the Iranian army is constantly updating its database of enemy targets and has already identified numerous sites in the region, including military bases, that could be attacked by Iranian forcesRead moreUS sees no link between infection in Russia’s Irkutsk Region, bioweapons research — TrumpOn October 4, the Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia’s eastern Irkutsk Region was stableRead moreSwedish Academy to announce winner of Nobel Prize in LiteratureAccording to Swedish experts, the favorites for 2026 include Australian novelist Gerald Murnane, Chinese writer Can Xue, and Canadian poet and essayist Anne CarsonRead moreWest furthers military-industrial interests with OSCE Russia disinformation campaign"Even here, within the framework of the OSCE's military-political direction, we have already had the opportunity to see that the Western participating states are not interested in a fact-based professional dialogue," Yulia Zhdanova saidRead moreRussia to take retaliatory measures if Canada confiscates Russian assets — ambassadorOleg Stepanov said Ottawa should consider the legal, investment and reputational consequences "of such ‘lawmaking’"Read moreCargo Dragon spacecraft to launch to ISS no earlier than October 13 — NASAThe spacecraft will deliver more than 2.8 tons of cargo to the ISS, including materials for studying the effects of microgravity on the growth and function of three-dimensional heart tissue modelsRead morePutin could speak on Ukraine at news conference after Belarus talks on Thursday — KremlinThe Russian president is scheduled to take questions jointly with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander LukashenkoRead moreNew batches of Su-34 aircraft are already being manufactured — RostecBased on combat experience, the aircraft continues to be improved, enabling crews to carry out their assigned missions more effectively, the state corporation notedRead moreTrump believes conflict in Ukraine nearing its endThe US president admitted that he thought this conflict "would be the easiest one for me"Read moreSyria supports Saudi Arabia, yet does not want to be party in Yemeni warDamascus firmly supports Saudi Arabia, but its policy does not call for opening new fronts, the Information Ministry saidRead moreWorld leaders congratulate Putin on his birthdayIn a telephone conversation, Putin and Lukashenko agreed to continue discussing bilateral cooperation and the international situation on the sidelines of the CIS summit in TurkmenistanRead moreEbola spirals out of control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo — NGONorth Kivu accounts for nearly 40% of the country's new confirmed Ebola cases, Doctors Without Borders international non-governmental organization saidRead moreDiplomat says Russian Foreign Ministry’s message to foreigners in Kiev was 'crystal clear'According to Maria Zakharova, foreigners "should be aware of the risk and understand its source"Read moreNobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 awarded for discovery in asymmetric organic synthesisFrance’s Henri Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai have received the awardRead moreLithuania plans to deploy army units to Kaliningrad border areaInterior Minister Martynas Katelynas called the deployment of the army a preventive measureRead moreThree killed in attacks on two Saudi airportsA Sudanese national was killed in the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while eight others were injured, including five Saudis, two Egyptians and one PakistaniRead moreRussia budgets nearly $468 mln for farm machinery programs in 2027-2029A total of $17.55 mln is expected to be allocated to DOM.RF’s preferential leasing program next yearRead moreRussia’s inflation stands at 0.96% from September 29 to October 5 — RosstatAccording to a review of the current price situation prepared by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, Russia’s annual inflation stood at 7.17% from September 29 through October 5Read moreEU fears US diesel export ban — Der SpiegelThe EC noted that even awareness of economic damage to US companies themselves might not prevent Washington from taking such a stepRead moreKremlin briefing covers Putin's birthday, probability of talks with TrumpRead moreTrump says decided against prosecuting Obama, Biden, ClintonTrump said people around him had urged him to pursue legal action against themRead moreIran, Oman to submit agreement on Strait of Hormuz to international body — diplomatIranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pointed out that consultations between Tehran and Muscat were successful, and the parties reached an agreement on the geographical coordinates of the safe corridorsRead moreKazakh president congratulates Putin on his birthdayPresident Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Vladimir Putin’s outstanding role in Russia’s development and his tireless efforts for the benefit of the Russian peopleRead moreRussia creates control system for group of drones using voice, text commandsBefore giving a command, the system also analyzes the capabilities of a particular robotic vehicle for implementing the assigned missionRead moreUS crude oil inventories fall by 3.2 mln barrels over week — Energy DepartmentThe department noted that current inventories are 1% above the five-year average for this time of yearRead moreUkrainian drone attack kills father of 13 children, 15-year-old daughter in Kherson Region"This morning a Ukrainian drone attacked a passenger car near Rykovo of the Genichesk district," Vladimir Saldo saidRead moreRussia develops drone interceptor flying with maximum speed of 500 km/hDOFA-Tek Technical Director Vitaly Dobrovolsky noted that the interceptor can be launched from any rooftop or the groundRead moreEU ambassadors endorse 22nd sanction package — sourceOver 1,500 companies and individuals have been blacklistedRead moreUkrainian troops fire six Grad rockets towards Yasinovataya – DPRUkrainian soldiers fired six missiles at the cityRead moreThree DPR residents killed, eight wounded in Ukrainian attacks since start of dayThe attacks damaged three residential buildings, three infrastructure facilities, trucks and passenger carsRead moreTrump says call with Putin set up, mentions Russian president’s birthdayThe US president mentioned the Russian leader’s birthdayRead moreFSB detains two residents of Trans-Baikal over election provocation plotOne of the suspects is a woman who was a member of a precinct election commissionRead moreFACTBOX: Russian forces hit enterprises producing Flamingo missiles in UkraineRussian troops struck the Kiev Cardboard and Paper Mill plant that served as a production and storage facility for FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles and their componentsRead moreBakery of father of 13 children, who died in drone attack, delivered bread to AlyoshkiSergey Georgiyev said that together with Alexander Kolotun they also planned to provide assistance to residents of frontline villages in winterRead moreCIS partners recognize need to address root causes of Ukraine crisis — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister added that the talks covered in detail the situation in the Middle EastRead moreUS holds its first execution since Christa Pike incident — news agencyJamaal Howard was convicted of murdering a store employee in 2000 and was given a lethal injectionRead moreMediation efforts in Iran-US talks reach deadlock — TV"The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a priority for Washington" after Iran, in the US assessment, "lost control over it," the TV channel saidRead moreUAE warned Israeli PM of looming Hamas attack before October 7 — newspaperHaaretz cites sources from a new book on the incident as saying that about ten days before the attack, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called Benjamin Netanyahu to warn him that Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major attack on IsraelRead moreTrump may order new strike on Iran before congressional elections — magazineNo final decision has been made yet, the magazine saidRead moreMajor oil companies eye Middle East investments despite war — newspaperPatrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France’s TotalEnergies, believes the Middle East still has the cheapest oilRead moreCIS countries concerned by forecast of arms race in outer spaceThe CIS Foreign Ministers noted the crucial importance of immediately taking practical measures to prevent an arms race in outer spaceRead moreInternational organizations offer no help over Alyoshki situation — governor"The conduct of organizations whose charters require them to act in people’s interests is a matter for their conscience," Vladimir Saldo saidRead moreCommon Eurasian space to take shape gradually but steadily — LavrovThe foreign minister pointed in this regard to cooperation memorandums among the secretariats of integration organizations including the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian NationsRead moreFour in five Russians view Putin as one of world’s most influential leaders — pollAbout seven in ten Russians believe that Russia has become stronger during Putin’s years in officeRead moreTrump urges Xi Jinping to lift export restrictions on Japan — newspaperAccording to the newspaper, the US leader "framed the Chinese measures as a threat to American industries reliant on Japanese suppliers"Read moreRussia has 'clear conscience' over Ukraine talks in Alaska — LavrovAccording to the foreign minister, is not Russia's fault that the US side could not withstand the unprecedented and brazen pressure from Europe, which later proudly declared that it had ‘buried Anchorage’Read moreRussian forces strike Ukrainian UAV assembly workshops over past day — top brassThe Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,440 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hoursRead moreFACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk RegionRospotrebnadzor has provided the WHO with information about the situation in the regionRead moreOver 100 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during dayFrom 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Moscow time Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 110 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Lipetsk, Rostov, and Moscow RegionsRead moreAgroexport center names key agricultural export markets for RussiaMain selling markets by 2030 will be China, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Iran, Egypt, India, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and AzerbaijanRead moreRussia reports no drug trafficking from Ukraine amid special military operation — officialActing head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Narcotics Control Kirill Smurov recalled that the law enforcement agency had witnessed targeted drug trafficking from Ukraine to Russia at the turn of 2020Read moreTrump interrupted 12 times in 45 minutes during speech in staunchly Republican TexasPolice escorted one of the protesters out of the venue in handcuffsRead moreTwo commercial ships hit with drones in Black Sea off BulgariaThe Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered severe damage before sinkingRead moreRussia boost agricultural technologies exports by 15% this year — Agriculture MinisterLast year saw a "solid breakthrough" in the exports of Russian agricultural technologies, Oksana Lut saidRead moreUkraine pays $450 mln on debt in September — National BankUkraine’s total state and state-guaranteed debt stood at $215.55 bln, as of August 31Read moreBolshoi Ballet Company begins major tour in ChinaThe Bolshoi Ballet’s China tour runs from October 7 to 25, with performances in three cities - Beijing, Nanjing and ShanghaiRead moreTwo reconnaissance aircraft spent nearly seven hours over Black SeaAccording to the source, the simultaneous operation of two such reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea is a relatively rare occurrenceRead moreFACTBOX: What we know about Flydubai pilots fight and emergency landingThe plane’s captain and co-pilot were hospitalized with injuries, Saudi airport operator Cluster 2 saidRead moreUS acknowledges Russia's position on potential Ukraine meeting — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister recalled the "unprecedented number of terrorist attacks on civilian targets, including polling stations," carried out by the Kiev regimeRead moreSberbank launches direct business settlements with MyanmarThe bank's press service explained that Sberbank’s Indian branch will serve as a key element of the new arrangementRead moreWest should not be surprised by fuel price hikes over Ukraine actions — Russian envoyYulia Zhdanova said Kiev has stepped up efforts to block Russian shipping in the Black and Azov Seas at the urging of its Western handlersRead moreNo clarity yet on timing of upcoming Putin-Trump phone conversation — KremlinDmitry Peskov noted that Moscow and Washington have not yet agreed on a telephone conversationRead moreRussian troops use flamethrower system against Ukrainian forces Near Krasny LimanThe flamethrower system’s primary targets are temporary deployment sites, UAV control posts, and enemy troops concentrationsRead moreKiev bridges' destruction disrupts Ukrainian security operations — underground resistanceThe same bridges and transport hubs are used to move security forces, transfer troops, supply materials, patrol areas, and transport military equipment, pro-Russian underground resistance saidRead moreHouthis report missile strikes on coalition forces near Bab el-Mandeb StraitHouthi military spokesman Yahya Saree noted that the attacks killed or wounded dozens of people, including commanders, and destroyed numerous pieces of military equipmentRead moreUkraine’s losses from port downtime exceed five billion dollarsThe Odessa port shutdown has been ongoing since July 22Read moreHouthis report ballistic missile strike on Riyadh AirportAccording to the Houthi spokesman Yahya Saria, the direct hit brought air traffic at the Saudi capital’s airport to a haltRead moreRussia achieves full technological sovereignty in hydropowerRussia’s General Scheme for the Development of Electric Power Facilities through 2042 envisages the commissioning of 6.7 GW of new hydropower generation capacity, comprising seven hydroelectric power plants and four pumped-storage power plantsRead moreHungary risks situation near energy catastrophe if cut off from Russian gas — expertArtyom Ilyinsky said that the delivery of major volumes under non-Russian gas agreements is scheduled to begin only in 2028, creating a critical time gap that "will prevent Hungary from navigating the pivotal year of 2027 smoothly"Read moreWest’s course over next decade to determine its global standing — RubioUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the collective West is at a crossroadsRead moreHigh-rise building in Istanbul partially collapses, trapping people under rubble — TVNo information on casualties or injuries has been reported yetRead moreRussian forces approach Novoukrainka in Zaporozhye Region — military expertAndrey Marochko said that Russian servicemen are advancing near liberated GolubkovoRead moreLavrov describes CIS culture as highly diplomatic, with issues resolved jointlyThe Russian foreign minister stressed that the organization takes into account the specific national interests of individual countries and has a "diplomatic culture of balancing those interests"Read moreSenior NATO commanders pay unannounced visit to UkraineItalian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that the visit had been aimed "to reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine"Read moreRussia’s National Wealth Fund totals $151.85 bln as of October 1The fund’s liquid assets totaled $44.45 bln as of October 1, or 1.6% of GDP projected for 2026, equivalent to $45 blnRead moreYandex reports fire at data center following drone attackThere were no casualtiesRead moreIndia calls on Russia, Ukraine to halt Black Sea attacks in truce plan — Foreign Ministry"Insofar as specifics are concerned, India is trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea, safety of the shipping issue, addressing immediate concerns of Russia and Ukraine on grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities," Randhir Jaiswal saidRead morePutin to spend 74th birthday attending to official dutiesThe Russian president has public events scheduled, though details were not disclosedRead more