US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has again called for an end to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine after a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. According to the Guardian, Rubio said the war must come to an end. He spoke after massive Russian attacks on Kyiv over the weekend, which hit the Ukrainian capital.
Rubio also downplayed Russian warnings to foreign embassies to withdraw their staff from Kyiv. Lavrov had called him personally to warn that Kyiv was becoming a very dangerous place, Rubio said. The US Secretary of State countered that Kyiv had been a dangerous place for years. He thus played down the urgency of the Russian warning.
Rubio stressed that any major attack by either side reminds us how terrible this war is. He pointed out that the war has already lasted longer than World War II. He also warned of the danger of further escalation if the war is not ended.
The Russian attacks on Kyiv have caused international outrage in recent days. Ukraine is demanding more air defense systems from its allies to protect itself from the ongoing missile and drone attacks. The US has so far provided extensive military aid to Ukraine, but future support is uncertain amid budget debates in Washington.
Source: www.theguardian.com
