US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is unlikely to attend a key NATO meeting on December 3 in Brussels, raising concerns amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. This is reported by European media with reference to US officials, writes UNN.
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According to two US officials, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will represent Washington instead of Rubio. The reasons for the possible absence of the top US diplomat are not disclosed, and he may change his plans at the last minute. However, such a move seems unusual: secretaries of state almost always attend the two annual NATO meetings.
The information emerged amid complex negotiations between the US, Ukraine, and European partners regarding President Donald Trump's plan to end the Russian invasion. Some European diplomats are already complaining that they are being excluded from the process.
NATO notes that sometimes individual ministers may miss part of a meeting, but the absence of the US Secretary of State always attracts special attention. The State Department has not yet provided comments.