U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Nov. 13 officially confirmed Republican Senator Marco Rubio as his nominee for the secretary of state, the U.S.'s top diplomacy job.
Rubio thanked Trump for the nomination in a statement on social media.
"Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President Trump has placed in me," Rubio wrote on X. His imminent nomination was reported in the media earlier this week.
Rubio publicly praised the bravery of Ukrainian defenders but was among the 15 Republican lawmakers in the Senate who voted against the $61 billion aid package for Ukraine, which was eventually passed in April 2024.
The 53-year-old Florida Senator will replace Antony Blinken in the position, and as the top U.S. diplomat, he would be at the forefront of any peace negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow.
Shortly after Trump’s election victory, Rubio said on air that Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has reached a "stalemate" and "needs to be brought to a conclusion."
On the campaign trail, Trump has repeatedly said he could end Russia's war within 24 hours if elected president, without elaborating on how he plans to achieve it.
Rubio described Ukrainians as "incredibly brave and strong" but said that there is still "the reality of the war."
"That doesn't mean we celebrate what Vladimir Putin did or are excited about it, but I think there has to be some common sense here," he said.
"We are funding a stalemate that's costing lives... and Ukraine is going to take 100 years to rebuild with everything they're facing."
Judging by his recent comments, Rubio is expected to take a more nuanced position that is tweaked to Trump’s stance, as suggested by earlier reports by the Kyiv Independent.
Chris York
