NEW YORK, Mar 08 (Reuters): US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Friday and told him President Donald Trump was determined to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible, the State Department said.
"The Secretary underscored President Trump is determined to end the war as soon as possible and emphasised that all sides must take steps to secure a sustainable peace," the State Department said in a statement after the call.
Rubio held a separate call to discuss the war earlier in the day with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, according to the State Department.
The US president has said he wants to bring the Ukraine war, launched by Russia when it invaded its neighbour more than three years ago, to an end. Trump has also said Europe must take more responsibility for its security.
Trump has paused military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine to pressure Kyiv to accept a ceasefire deal after an explosive Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a week ago.
While European leaders rallied to support Zelensky after his clash with Trump, their approach to the Russia-Ukraine war and Europe's security remains highly dependent on the US president.
Trump has also said that he is "strongly considering" imposing sweeping sanctions, including ones on banking, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace agreement is reached with Ukraine.
Russian attack leaves 20
dead, 37 hurt in Ukraine
At least 20 people were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's eastern city of Dobropillia overnight, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Saturday.
Russian forces attacked Dobropillia with ballistic missiles, multiple rockets, and drones, causing damage to eight multi-storey buildings and 30 vehicles, according to the ministry. The assault resulted in the deaths of 11 people, including five children, and left 30 others wounded.
"While extinguishing the fire, the occupiers struck again, damaging the fire truck," the ministry said on the Telegram messenger app.
Photographs of partially destroyed buildings engulfed in flames and rescue workers clearing debris were also published by the ministry.
The ministry also reported that three civilians were killed in a separate drone attack on the Kharkiv region in the northeast.
"Such strikes show that Russia's objectives have not changed. Therefore, it is crucial to continue to do our best to protect lives, strengthen our air defences, and increase sanctions against Russia. Everything that helps Putin finance the war must collapse," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Facebook.
On Friday, Russian forces damaged Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure in their first major missile attack since the US paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv as President Donald Trump seeks a swift end to the war.
