Rubio: The Russia-Ukraine war must end

 Direct translation

New U.S. Secretary of State Rubio: The Russia-Ukraine war must end

Editor: Yue Yuan / Source : The Epoch Times / https://www.ntdtv.com/b5/2025/01/21/a103950154.html / Image : President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, arrives in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on     20 January 2025, for Trump's inauguration. (Kevin Lamarque/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

On Monday (20 January 2025), after U.S. President Trump was sworn in, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 22:0 to unanimously approve Marco. Rubio's nomination for Secretary of State. In the evening, the full Senate voted and unanimously confirmed Rubio as Secretary of State in the Trump administration.

The vote was the first time the Senate confirmed a Trump cabinet official. Rubio's nomination for secretary of state has strong support among Senate Democrats, with many calling him well-qualified for the job.

The confirmation vote came hours after Trump was sworn in as president. The two parties voted overwhelmingly, 99 in favor and 0 against, with no senator opposing Rubio's nomination.

"It's a great honor"

Rubio said Monday night it was a "huge honor" to be confirmed by his Senate colleagues.

"I hope it's because they know me, my feeling is that most of them voted for me because they thought I would do a good job, and maybe a few because they wanted to get rid of me. But joking aside, It’s been a great honor, and obviously I’m going to miss being here. I’m going to miss the relationships, but it’s important work at an important time, and I’m honored to do it,” Rubio said as he left the Senate floor.

Rubio previously announced that he would resign from the Senate tonight and he is entering his third term. He nearly gave up running for a second term after losing to Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary. The two had faced off in the presidential primaries.

Over the past eight years, Rubio and Trump have become increasingly close, and his and Trump's views have also begun to converge. Rubio voted against additional aid to Ukraine last April. During Trump's first term, Rubio became Trump's longtime adviser on Latin American issues. Rubio also won the respect of his Senate colleagues, becoming the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Ask most Democrats on Capitol Hill which Trump nominee they would support, and most will volunteer Marco Rubio's name.

Sen. James Risch, D-Calif., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said earlier Monday that the committee also voted unanimously to approve Rubio's nomination for secretary of state.

Severely criticizes the CCP and supports Israel

Rubio, 53, has harshly criticized the Chinese Communist Party and supported Israel. The son of Cuban immigrants, he has pushed for tough measures against the communist-ruled country and its allies, particularly the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

During his confirmation hearing, he warned that the United States must change course and avoid becoming more dependent on China, and he pledged a strong foreign policy focused on American interests.

Rubio also developed close ties with Trump's family and close advisers through his participation in the Paycheck Protection Program. The Paycheck Protection Program is a small business loan program that was launched weeks into the pandemic to help provide lines of credit to small businesses across the country. Rubio also worked closely with Trump's daughter Ivanka to expand the child tax credit, another key achievement of the Trump administration.

Rubio, who has a hawkish foreign policy stance, will play a key role in fulfilling many of Trump's campaign promises, from ending the war in Ukraine to countering China's growing infiltration and pushing for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Rubio: Russia-Ukraine war must end, both sides must give up something

After being confirmed by the Senate as Secretary of State, Rubio said he could not set a timetable for ending the Russia-Ukraine war, but he told reporters that both sides would have to make "some concessions" as a natural part of resolving any conflict, and he also Recognizes Russia as an "aggressor".

"We want the wars to end. That's clear. You see the president talk about wanting to be a president who promotes peace, who wants to end conflict, and that's going to be complicated," Rubio said. "These are complicated things. I can't Putting a time frame on it only means that any time you end a conflict between two parties, if neither party is achieving their greatest goals, both parties have to give up something.”

"We are not talking about negotiations prematurely. Negotiations of this level, with these stakes, are better conducted through diplomacy rather than in an open forum. Obviously, both Russia and Ukraine have to make decisions on what they agree to. The final decision will be made," Rubio said.

Asked how long it would take for a ceasefire to begin in Ukraine, Rubio said: "It would be a top priority for the president, so it would begin almost immediately."

In fact, some of that has already begun, Rubio said. You’ll want some of the groundwork already done, but it’ll be complicated. "I mean, this is a complex and bloody conflict that needs to end."

(This article refers to CNN reports)