Speaking to reporters in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Secretary Rubio delivered remarks about central Asia and the importance of the region to U.S. interests.  Central Asia, the “stans”, are a significant opportunity due to their location between Asia and the Federation of Russia.

Secretary Rubio answered a question about the Ukraine-Russia conflict by saying the United States will continue looking for opportunities to help end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Rubio said the war has brought enormous loss of life and destruction, warning of the risk of escalation and the possibility of the conflict spreading into another country.

Rubio stressed that diplomacy requires continued efforts and said the ultimate test will be whether Russia and Ukraine are willing to make concessions to reach a deal. The Secretary of State also addressed Ukraine’s use of Star Shield and said the United States remains focused on ending the war.  WATCH:

As both Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, Marco Rubio is a key person to watch on the issues surrounding Ukraine specifically because of his prior tenure on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI).  Remember, the CIA and USAID were the originators of the 2014 Maidan revolution and later the installation of Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  Rubio is one of the key people who knows exactly what the U.S. influence operation was inside Ukraine.