Rubio, Witkoff in Paris for talks to end the war between Russia, Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Ambassador Steve Witkoff are currently in France to engage with European leaders in discussions about ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The purpose of their visit to Paris from Wednesday through Friday is to support President Trump’s objective of putting an end to the war and violence in the region, as stated by State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. The agenda also includes talks on advancing mutual interests in the area.

According to Politico Europe, Witkoff is scheduled to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron, while Rubio will hold discussions with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. Recently, Witkoff had a lengthy meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg to address the conflict with Ukraine, expressing optimism about the potential for an important global development.

The discussions seem to focus on resolving issues such as the territories of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. If a ceasefire is reached, France is pushing for security assurances for Ukraine, including the potential deployment of a reassurance force. This force, supported by a coalition of approximately 30 countries, has six nations ready to commit their troops.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized his opposition to certain proposals, particularly concerning the recognition of temporarily occupied territories. The talks are expected to touch on Iran and trade relations following tariff threats by former President Trump.

In another development, Rubio announced the closure of the State Department’s office responsible for countering foreign disinformation, citing concerns about censorship and misuse of taxpayer funds under the previous administration. The funding for this office was removed from the government funding deal signed into law by President Biden in December. There have been contrasting views on the role of this office, with some criticizing it for alleged censorship of conservative voices, while others view it as essential in combating disinformation from countries like Russia and China.