US admits to being party to proxy war with Russia. This opens path to peace
Washington has defined itself as a party to the conflict in a proxy war with Russia. This is realpolitik, which could lead to peace in the former territory of Ukraine.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America,
Marco Rubio
Rubio Admits US Waging Proxy War with Russia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the conflict in Ukraine a proxy war between the US and Russia.
“It’s been very clear from the beginning that President Trump views this as a protracted, stalemated conflict. And frankly, it’s a proxy war between nuclear powers, the United States helping Ukraine, and Russia,” Rubio said on Fox News.
According to him, no one has proposed a real plan to break the deadlock.
“The plan of the Ukrainians up to now and their allies on Capitol Hill and the people you talk to in other countries is let’s just keep giving them as much as they need for as long as it takes. That’s not a strategy,” Rubio said.
Rubio outlined the US negotiating position – the front is at a stalemate, and the conflict must come to an end.
The US Proxy Force Is Not Ready for Negotiations
Acknowledging itself as a party to the conflict is a realistic policy and the right decision. However, having a proxy force complicates things for Washington, as Kyiv is not ready for peace talks. The US is now focused on bringing Volodymyr Zelensky to a more “rational” state of mind. Weapons deliveries and intelligence support have been halted, and alternatives are being considered.
According to insiders cited by the Ukrainian outlet Strana, the Americans are currently focusing on:
- Ukraine’s ambassador to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi,
- Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko,
- the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence (GUR) Kyrylo Budanov,
- and the leader of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamia.
As for a concrete negotiation plan, the US does not have one either. As Rubio put it, Moscow has merely agreed to “discuss” the topic of ending the war.
“I’m not going to pre-negotiate it. Look, at the end of the day, the Ukrainians are going to have their demands, the Russians are going to have theirs. We have to see how far apart they are, if we get to that point in the process,” he said.
The Kremlin Does Not Consider the Frontline Situation a Stalemate
Does Moscow have a plan? Russian President Vladimir Putin remains silent, keeping his position undisclosed. And that position is strong. Russia has been recognized as a worthy participant in negotiations – something that was previously dismissed. This means the US has acknowledged its strength.
Russia is making battlefield advances, its economy remains stable, supporting not only the special military operation (SMO) but also social payments. The US has no real leverage – only 5% of Russia’s cross-border transactions are in dollars, trade with adversaries is minimal and beneficial to the US, meaning there’s nothing to sanction. The US won’t impose new sanctions on Russian oil, as it has already sanctioned heavy Venezuelan, Iranian, and Canadian oil, which its refineries depend on.
Moreover, for US realists, the post-Soviet space (except for the Baltics) is considered Russia’s sphere of influence. From their perspective, Moscow has the right to manage affairs in the region. Simply put, as long as Russian forces do not cross Ukraine’s western border, it is not considered aggression. This gives the Kremlin significant leverage in negotiations to set territorial conditions and achieve the goals of the SMO.
Realpolitik Creates Strong Prospects for Trump
Undoubtedly, Russia will present Washington with lucrative business offers, as well as proposals for mediation in negotiations with Iran, China, and North Korea. If Trump wants to fulfill his campaign promise – to end the war in Ukraine and win the Nobel Peace Prize – he will accomplish this through cooperation with Russia.
Details
Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is an American politician, diplomat, and attorney serving since 2025 as the 72nd United States secretary of state, acting administrator of USAID, and acting archivist of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a United States senator from Florida from 2011 to 2025 and was a candidate for president of the United States in the 2016 Republican primaries. Rubio is a Cuban American from Miami, Florida. After serving as a city commissioner for West Miami in the 1990s, he was elected in 2000 to represent the 111th district in the Florida House of Representatives. Subsequently, he was elected speaker of the Florida House; he served for two years beginning in November 2006. Upon leaving the Florida legislature in 2008 due to term limits, Rubio taught at Florida International University.
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