Marco Rubio warns Russia-Ukraine war could become a "far more dangerous regional conflict"

During a visit to Portugal, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Russia-Ukraine war a perilous deadlock and said Washington still seeks a durable negotiated resolution. The Trump administration has tried to restart talks, with Ukrainian negotiators due in the U.S. Friday and Saturday. Drone attacks by both sides this year have increasingly hit the economy, including energy plants, refineries, ports, oil and grain vessels, warehouses, and data centers. A Ukrainian drone struck Yandex's Sasovo data center, causing a fire and halting work; the company is still evaluating the harm and cannot yet determine if the gear can be salvaged. Rubio warned that further escalation could pull in other countries, and he mentioned possible sabotage in nearby NATO states. Rubio stressed a negotiated end is needed soon; the U.S. says it will keep trying but not pursue fruitless efforts.