Russia has reacted to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent comments acknowledging the war in Ukraine as a direct confrontation between Washington and Moscow. The Kremlin confirmed its long-standing view that Western nations are actively involved in the conflict beyond just supporting Kyiv.
During an interview with Fox News, Rubio described the war as a “proxy war between nuclear powers,” stating that President Donald Trump has seen it as a prolonged, deadlocked struggle from the start. He defended Trump’s diplomatic push for a peace settlement and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for attempting to undermine those efforts.
Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Kremlin, responded to Rubio’s remarks, agreeing that the war extends beyond Ukraine itself. “We have said this repeatedly. This is actually a conflict between Russia and the collective West,” he stated. Peskov reaffirmed that Russia sees the United States as the primary force behind the war, saying, “We agree that it is time to stop this conflict and this war.”
Marco Rubio says that the Ukrainian war is a protracted stalemated conflict and a proxy war between nuclear superpowers—the US and Russia—and one that needs to come to an end. Ukraine and its allies in Washington and Europe don’t have any plans on how to do that. pic.twitter.com/YEM6yvpPU6
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 6, 2025
So it is a proxy war after all. https://t.co/ZVFMvSbJsX pic.twitter.com/r1ULUupePl
— Anatomy II 🇨🇦 (@AnatomyII) March 6, 2025
Rubio’s remarks signal a shift in how top U.S. officials publicly describe the war. While he previously took a more aggressive stance toward Russia, he now supports Trump’s goal of finding a resolution. His comments come as tensions between Washington and Kyiv rise, with Trump recently cutting intelligence-sharing with Ukraine following disagreements with Zelensky.
Everyone knows it’s a proxy war — the only question is how long they’ll keep sacrificing Ukraine to avoid admitting it. pic.twitter.com/OAo17gg3GK
— TacticalEdge (@EdgeE50124) March 6, 2025
🇺🇸🇷🇺🇺🇦 Rubio just admitted the Ukraine war is a proxy war.
Funny how that used to be called "Russian propaganda," huh? pic.twitter.com/T5y1bRtUfF
— DD Geopolitics (@DD_Geopolitics) March 6, 2025
Reports indicate that U.S. involvement in Ukraine has been extensive for over a decade. A CIA-led initiative began modernizing Ukraine’s intelligence operations shortly after the 2014 Maidan coup, and classified bases along the Russian border have been used for surveillance and military coordination. Trump’s move to limit U.S. support signals a departure from previous policies.
Meanwhile, discussions about potential negotiations continue, with both the U.S. and Russia indicating a willingness to engage.
