Peskov Agrees With Rubio That Ukraine Peace Prospects Remain Elusive

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on October 8 that he agreed with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that prospects for a diplomatic settlement of the war in Ukraine were currently absent. Peskov said diplomats needed to find an opening that could move the conflict onto a peaceful path. In a separate interview, Rubio described the war as a strategic stalemate and said a negotiated settlement or escalation were the two ways out. Rubio said the United States remained prepared to help facilitate a settlement and warned that escalation could spread the conflict.