US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may miss the upcoming NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Reuters reports. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau is expected to represent Washington instead. The reason for Rubio’s possible absence remains unclear, and plans could still change.
The meeting comes at a sensitive moment, with tense negotiations surrounding President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine. European diplomats worry their positions may be overlooked, while Ukraine faces mounting pressure in talks with Russia, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
It is unusual for a US Secretary of State to skip a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, which is held twice a year. The last similar case was in 2017, when Rex Tillerson missed one. A State Department spokesperson defended Rubio’s schedule, noting he has already attended many meetings with NATO allies.
Still, Ukrainian and European officials fear his absence could weaken US influence at a decisive time. Washington is pushing for a peace agreement before offering security guarantees to Kyiv. Rubio has said discussions with Ukrainian representatives in Geneva have led to adjustments in the US peace plan.