US Secretary of State Rubio to Miss Key NATO Meeting Amid Ukraine Conflict

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In a surprise move, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to skip a crucial meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels next week. According to two US officials, Rubio's absence has been confirmed, and he will be represented by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau instead. The reason for Rubio's absence remains unclear, but his decision comes at a critical time. US and Ukrainian officials are struggling to narrow their differences over a proposal to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with some European diplomats feeling left out of the process. The December 3 meeting is one of two formal gatherings of NATO foreign ministers held each year. It is extremely rare for a US Secretary of State to miss such an event. In 2017, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially planned to skip a meeting but later attended after the schedule was rescheduled. The Trump administration has been promoting NATO as a revitalized alliance, with a State Department spokesperson highlighting 'historic foreign policy achievements' in the past 10 months. However, Ukrainian and European officials are concerned about being pressured into accepting a deal that favors Russian interests. The leaked 28-point plan to end the war has intensified these concerns. Rubio's absence may further raise questions about the US commitment to European security, which has been a topic of debate in recent years. Washington's leadership in NATO has been called into question, particularly after Trump's repeated suggestions that the US could withdraw from the alliance. Landau, who will attend the meeting on Rubio's behalf, has previously questioned the need for NATO in a now-deleted post. Trump has also emphasized the importance of member states boosting their defense spending, stating that the US will no longer 'bail them out.' The timing of Rubio's absence is particularly sensitive, as Ukraine faces challenges in peace negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday after anti-corruption agents searched his home.