U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly expected to skip next week's NATO foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels.
Rubio's Expected No-Show Raises Alarm Among Allies
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is set to attend instead, though Rubio's schedule could still change, reported Reuters, citing U.S. officials.
The State Department did not comment on the potential absence when asked by the publication, but insisted that the Donald Trump administration has "revitalized" NATO.
A spokesperson said Rubio "meets with and talks to NATO allies regularly," citing last week’s discussions in Geneva, the report noted.
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Ukraine Turmoil Intensifies Concerns Over Peace Deal
Rubio's expected no-show comes as Kyiv grapples with new instability. Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff and a key figure in negotiations with Russia, resigned Friday after anti-corruption agents searched his home.
His departure comes after a leaked 28-point draft plan outlining Trump's proposed path to ending the war.
Yermak met Rubio and other senior officials to press for changes to the peace plan. Washington had reportedly cautioned that it may reduce intelligence cooperation and weapons shipments if Kyiv declined to agree to the plan.
Europe, Ukraine Criticizes US Peace Plan As Russia Responds Cautiously
European and Ukrainian officials have condemned the peace plan, calling it a Kremlin "wish list." They argued it would restore Russia's global standing and legitimize its control of Crimea and other occupied regions.
The plan would allow Ukraine to join the EU but ban it from joining NATO. It would also prohibit NATO troops from being deployed on Ukrainian soil. Additionally, Kyiv would have to adopt a non-nuclear status and limit its military to 600,000 troops.
Russia has responded cautiously to the administration's draft proposal. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow supports U.S. efforts but underscored that there would be "no concessions on key issues."
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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