Rubio says US will play 'key role' in security guarantees for Ukraine

The United States will play a "key role" in providing security guarantees for Ukraine, with the active involvement of Europe.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this on Wednesday during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the situation in Venezuela, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

Answering senators' questions, Rubio noted that there was a general consensus regarding security guarantees on the possible deployment of a small contingent of European troops, primarily French and British, along with support from the United States.

He said that future security guarantees for Ukraine would be supported by the United States, but only European troops could be present on the ground.

At the same time, he said that U.S. involvement itself constitutes the real security guarantee, since without Washington's support the deployment of European forces in Ukraine would make no sense.

He said that the American security mechanism was, in fact, the security guarantee, adding that he was not downplaying the fact that some European countries are ready to deploy troops in Ukraine after the war. He said he was simply pointing out that without the American security mechanism, it would not matter.

This is because, Rubio said, the United States' allies and partners have not invested enough in their own defense capabilities over the past 20 to 30 years.

Now, hopefully, that will change, he added.

At the same time, Rubio did not specify what exactly the U.S. security guarantee mechanism would entail.

Photo: Official State Department