Rubio says war in Ukraine will end in a negotiated settlement; lawmakers press on sanctions and support

Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the Russia‑Ukraine war as a protracted conflict that "has no military solution" and must end through a negotiated settlement, telling the House appropriations subcommittee that both sides will need to make concessions.

Rubio said the administration is attempting to preserve the option to engage both sides to help bring about a ceasefire and a durable peace. He repeated that all existing sanctions on Russia remain in place and said the president retains additional authorities to impose new sanctions if negotiations fail; he also referenced possible congressional action to impose further penalties. Rubio described an upcoming Russian memorandum of peace — expected in the next few days, he said — as a potential sign of whether a productive negotiation is possible.

Lawmakers pressed Rubio about how the United States will avoid rewarding aggression, how to maintain pressure on Russia, and what a U.S. strategy for a sustainable peace would look like. Rubio said the United States is preserving options and working to create conditions for a sustainable negotiated settlement; the subcommittee sought more detail on how U.S. support for Ukraine would be sustained in the coming months without undercutting leverage at the negotiating table.

The hearing captured bipartisan concern that any settlement must be durable and not simply a pause that allows renewed aggression later, and members urged continued U.S. support for Ukraine’s security needs and for allied rearmament in Europe.