Rubio shoots down report that Trump backs Putin's plan for Russia to control Ukraine's Donbas region

Rubio also clarified Trump's role in narrowing down the issues and brokering progress between Russia and Ukraine after years of war, while warning that the talks could collapse if the U.S. moves forward with additional sanctions on Moscow. 

Rubio believes that Trump is the only world leader capable of brokering peace between the rivaling nations, which have been sparring on a large scale since February 2022.

European leaders are also said to play a role in the process, particularly in providing long-term security guarantees that could give Ukraine the confidence to negotiate. 

Still, Rubio acknowledged that the negotiations remain difficult, with issues like territorial boundaries and future military alliances far from resolved. 

"If one side gets everything they want, that's not a peace deal. It's called surrender," he said.

The secretary added that while peace may not yet be guaranteed, Trump's willingness to engage both sides offers the only realistic path forward.