US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that international interest is growing in establishing a partial ceasefire to secure grain shipments via the Black Sea. Rubio stated that the proposals Turkey has conveyed to Washington on this matter are being reviewed.
Responding to questions from reporters on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Atlanta, Rubio pointed to the importance of the Black Sea route for global food security. Recalling that Turkey has previously shown consistent effort on this topic, Rubio noted that an agreement had been reached in the past, but that this consensus was later broken.
Rubio did not provide a definitive forecast on when or under what conditions a new agreement could be reached. However, he emphasized that the grain shipment issue, which particularly affects the African continent, is urgent; he also said that the energy dimension of the issue should not be ignored.
We are reviewing the proposals conveyed to us by Turkey one or two weeks ago, and we will continue to evaluate the work in this direction. We desire to achieve this; while it may not end the entire war, it can at least resolve a specific dimension of the war.
SEARCH FOR A PARTIAL CEASEFIRE FOR THE BLACK SEA
Rubio stated that they want a partial ceasefire to be realized that would ensure the safe continuation of grain shipments. However, avoiding giving a timeline for this, the US Secretary of State noted that contacts with different countries are ongoing.
Making assessments regarding the Russia-Ukraine War, Rubio also said that talks with both Kyiv and Moscow are continuing to end the conflicts. Touching on the importance of keeping communication channels open between the US and Russia, Rubio stated that Russia's nuclear capacity must also be taken into account.
Rubio expressed that they are in frequent contact with the Ukrainian side and that it is necessary to be able to talk with the Russian side as well. The US Secretary gave the message that diplomatic contacts are important to prevent further escalation of the war.
Touching on the Iran topic at the press conference, Rubio said that US President Donald Trump prefers to solve problems through diplomatic means as much as possible. However, stating that the military option is not completely excluded, Rubio expressed that Washington's dialogue with Iran continues directly or through intermediaries.
Rubio also said that the US Central Command continues its activities to protect commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz and argued that Iran plays a central role in regional instability.
News Source: 12punto
