Secretary Rubio’s Travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye
05/11/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye
05/11/2025 09:14 AM EDT
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
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Secretary Rubio’s Travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Türkiye
Press Statement
May 11, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio will accompany President Trump to Saudi Arabia and Qatar May 11-14, where the President will look to strengthen ties between the United States and Gulf partners. Secretary Rubio’s engagements with senior officials will advance solutions to global and regional challenges, expand bilateral trade and investment, and reaffirm our strategic partnerships.
Secretary Rubio will then travel to Antalya, Türkiye, May 14-16 to attend the NATO Informal Foreign Ministers Meeting to discuss security priorities for the Alliance, including increased Allied defense investment and ending the Russia-Ukraine war. Looking towards the NATO Summit in The Hague this June, the Secretary will advance President Trump’s agenda of ensuring that our Allies contribute their fair share to making NATO stronger and more effective.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Official International Travel Qatar Saudi Arabia The Secretary of State Turkey
Secretary Rubio’s Call with UK Foreign Secretary Lammy
05/11/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with UK Foreign Secretary Lammy
05/11/2025 10:24 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with UK Foreign Secretary Lammy
Readout
May 11, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. The Secretary reaffirmed the U.S. position on the Russia-Ukraine war: our top priority remains bringing an end to the fighting and an immediate ceasefire. On India-Pakistan, the Secretary and Foreign Secretary Lammy emphasized the need for both sides to maintain the ceasefire and to continue to communicate. The Secretary expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson United Kingdom
Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Chancellor Merz
05/11/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Chancellor Merz
05/11/2025 10:55 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with German Chancellor Merz
Readout
May 11, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and congratulated him on his recent appointment as Chancellor. They discussed the vitality of the U.S.-German bilateral relationship and the importance of working together to advance the many shared interests between the United States and Germany.
With respect to Ukraine, they discussed the meeting between the Chancellor, President Macron, Prime Minister Starmer, Prime Minister Tusk and President Zelenskyy in Kyiv and our shared goal of ending the war in Ukraine.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Germany Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Finnish President Stubb
05/12/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Finnish President Stubb
05/12/2025 01:57 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Finnish President Stubb
Readout
May 12, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Finnish President Alexander Stubb. The Secretary highlighted President Trump’s commitment to achieving lasting peace in Ukraine and welcomed Finland’s support in this endeavor. Secretary Rubio expressed gratitude for Finland’s significant contributions to European security, to include Finland’s decision to increase defense spending, and our ongoing cooperation on icebreakers.
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Bilateral Relations and Engagement Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Finland Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
05/12/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
05/12/2025 04:00 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
Readout
May 12, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan today. The Secretary thanked Türkiye for hosting and facilitating Russian and Ukraine direct negotiations and welcomed the possibility of an immediate ceasefire. The Secretary and Foreign Minister Fidan also discussed the upcoming NATO Informal Ministerial in Antalya and the importance of strengthening U.S.-Türkiye commercial and defense ties.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Turkey
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Foreign Ministers
05/12/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Call with Foreign Ministers
05/12/2025 08:52 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Call with Foreign Ministers
Readout
May 12, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and European Union High Representative Kaja Kallas. The leaders discussed the way forward for a ceasefire and path to peace in Ukraine.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Russia-Ukraine War The Secretary of State Ukraine
Digital Press Briefing: U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker
05/13/2025
Digital Press Briefing: U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker
05/13/2025 01:51 PM EDT
The Brussels Hub
MODERATOR: Good afternoon from the State Department’s Brussels Media Hub. I’d like to welcome everyone joining us for today’s virtual press briefing. We are very honored to be joined today by Ambassador Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO.
And with that, let’s get started. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us today. Over to you for opening remarks.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: All right. Thank you, John. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us today, and thank you to John Johnson and the Brussels Media Hub for facilitating this interview. I think we have more than 200 outlets represented here, which shows the genuine interest in NATO and U.S. policy towards this important Alliance.
I want to kick off this press conference with just a few remarks. Tomorrow is the start of the NATO informal foreign ministerial in Antalya, Türkiye. We are expecting a robust discussion among the 32 Allies, and I know Secretary Rubio is looking forward to connecting again with his counterparts. But make no mistake, this ministerial is going to be different. You’ve all heard the President and Vice President call for NATO members to adopt a new 5-percent-of-GDP Defense Investment Plan. And we look forward to getting more details this week on how Allies intend to make this happen.
Five percent is not just a number; it is a necessity for our security. The Alliance is facing significant threats, as all of you know, and we must be prepared to meet them head-on. That level of investment is necessary to ensure Allies have the capabilities to deter and defend the Alliance, and contribute to our collective defense. President Trump has been unwavering in his commitment to our collective security, and he has fundamentally changed the conversation on defense investment at NATO. His leadership has brought this issue to the forefront, and we are seeing real progress with 20 Allies pledging to increase their defense budgets since his election.
While investing 5 percent is critical, money alone will not deliver the security we need. Without capable defense industry producing what our militaries need to keep us safe, that money really means nothing and will be spent on unnecessary things like inflation. In the United States, we are ramping up defense production, and we encourage our Allies and partners to do the same. While we are working together to enhance transatlantic defense industrial base cooperation, defense industry capabilities must also include the fair treatment for American defense technology firms. Excluding non-EU member industries in EU defense initiatives would undermine NATO interoperability, slow Europe’s rearming, raise costs, and stifle innovation.
We all face competing priorities at home, but our collective security is too important. The progress we’ve seen over the last five months is promising, and we need to come together as an Alliance and commit to preparing for the future challenges we all know we will face.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions. And I’ll turn it back to you, John, to moderate this.
MODERATOR: Thank you so much, sir, for those remarks. Why don’t we start with a question from Vitor Matos from Expresso in Portugal, who asks: The U.S. will keep demanding 5 percent of defense spending. Is this just a stand or a sign, and you actually just want to negotiate to 3.5 percent? What are you trying to achieve?
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: No. Five percent is our number. We’re asking our Allies to invest in their defense like they mean it, so they’re actually prepared to face any threat and fulfil our collective and self-defense commitments outlined in the Washington Treaty. And that requires an investment of 5 percent on defense-related spending. We understand that in order to field a competent army and with all domains – whether that’s sea, land, air, conventional, and nuclear – that it’s just going to take a lot more money to be spent by everyone, including the United States of America. We want our Allies to be strong and fully capable of countering the 21st-century threats and projecting peace through strength, and this 5 percent investment plan will strengthen NATO’s ability to defer and defend against any threat, whether that’s conventional, nuclear, or even hybrid threats.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Next question is from Niels Goedegebuur from ANP in the Netherlands, who asks: “Would the United States support dedicating a part of the new Defense Investment Pledge to related investments like military, mobility, and cybersecurity in Europe?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, so this defense – this new Hague investment pledge or plan is going to include all of the capability targets necessary for NATO Allies to deter and defend. But it also includes things like mobility, necessary infrastructure, cybersecurity. It is definitely more than just missiles, tanks, and howitzers. But at the same time, it’s got to be defense related. It is not a grab bag for everything that you could possibly imagine, and it is a 5 percent on defense-related spending, with a special emphasis on the NATO capability targets that all of the Allies have agreed to, and everyone understands are mission-critical to deterring and defending every inch of the Alliance.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll go to Vasco Cotovio from CNN, CNN UK. Vasco asks: “Russia’s strategy on Ukraine seems to aim to drive a wedge between the United States and NATO. Is that the view of the situation in D.C.?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: No, I’m going to have to push back a little bit on that. I mean, right now President Trump is laser-focused on ending the slaughter and the killing that is happening in Ukraine from Russians’ invasion and to make sure that there can be an enduring peace deal. But the only way that happens is if both sides come together and negotiate a peace deal that ends this killing that’s just horrific. And there’s just too many thousands of people are currently dying on the battlefield. And President Trump has – really since his election, but certainly since his inauguration – has come the closest of anybody to peace.
And what’s necessary at this point in time is both sides to come together and negotiate an enduring peace. And I don’t think any – everything is on the table from a what it’s going to take, but both sides are going to have to agree. And nobody is probably going to be happy with any deal that both sides agree to, but at the same time I think we all agree that peace is much better than war. And this meeting that might happen on Thursday is really the most encouraging thing we’ve had in the last three years of this endless, really unnecessary war. But at the same time, it needs to end. We need to have peace in Europe, and we need to make sure that the fighting stops.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Henry Foy has a question about the upcoming foreign ministerial in Antalya. Henry is from the Financial Times, based here in Belgium. He asks: “Will Secretary Rubio discuss specific areas where the U.S. plans to reduce its military footprint in Europe at the meeting?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, I think the first thing that everyone needs to understand is the United States is always reviewing its force posture. But as I’ve been clear – and I think even Secretary Rubio and Secretary Hegseth have been clear – the United States is not pulling away from Europe. We are having ongoing discussions with our Allies to make sure that there are no security gaps as we have to address all of the United States security threats all over the country.
But we are all rowing in the same direction, and we’re asking our European Allies to be more capable to be equal partners. I think one of the things that President Trump has been clear is that our European Allies plus Canada need to equalize their spending. But at the same time, one of the things that I’m emphasizing on that same thread is that it needs to be capability-targets-based, and it needs to be in full consultation in an Article 4 kind of way – full consultation with our Allies, and that we all agree as to what we’re doing and who’s doing it and make sure that we can all continue to work together, really, in the greatest Alliance ever created.
MODERATOR: Thank you, Ambassador. Shifting gears a little bit to talk about the upcoming NATO summit in the Hague. Evaldas Labanauskas from IQ magazine here in Belgium asks: “What do you think the main topics will be at the NATO summit in June. What will the discussions be about?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, thanks for that question. I – for me, we’re laser focused on the Defense Investment Plan, and there’s really nothing other than that. I think we’re going to also, just in addition to that, talk about things like the war in Ukraine, but it’s hard to know what the status of that will be, as we have potential peace negotiations happening as soon as this Thursday. And the defense industrial base, as we all commit to spend more, obviously that’s going to be an important topic as well. But these are our most trusted Allies in Europe and in North America, and so we’re going to have conversations on what’s important to that Alliance.
And NATO, as everyone on this call knows, takes a 360-degree approach to our security of the Alliance, and so we’re going to have to talk about those security threats at a – on a 360-degree view. But for me, the top priority in the United States is the Hague investment plan, together with the status of the war in Ukraine, together with the defense industrial base. But those would be, for me, the top three things, with the investment being the most important.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. And then Alexander Bakker from De Telegraaf, on a related topic in the Netherlands, asked – or says that there’s a lot of speculation that President Trump will not be attending the NATO summit in June. Can you confirm his participation?
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: We’re all planning on President Trump to be there, and he will take this opportunity to talk to 31 of our Allies, plus our Indo-Pacific partners, about the importance of this commitment to spend, really, trillions of dollars on our combined and collective defense. And so I – I expect and plan and we should fully expect that Donald Trump will be in The Hague for the NATO summit.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Moving on to Petar Karaboev from Economedia in Bulgaria. He asks: “In preparation for the annual summit, what specific measures does the U.S. envision to strengthen security in the Black Sea, and how do these plans fit into the State Department’s efforts for direct negotiation to end the war in Ukraine? In preparation for the summit, what specific measures does the U.S. envisage to strengthen security in the Black Sea?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Well, we – we’ve been having a lot of discussions at the North Atlantic Council with our allies, and I’ve specifically talked to the ambassador from the Black Sea region – the ambassadors from the Black Sea region – Türkiye, Romania, and Bulgaria – about these topics, because I understand the critical strategic importance of the Black Sea. And you’re seeing it, obviously, play out with the war in Ukraine. To your point, I think I mentioned the 360-degree approach that NATO takes to all regions. And sort of it’s like you can’t have a favorite child in a family, and you can’t have a favorite region inside of NATO. And so we have to be very careful when we talk about those strategic challenges and threats that we face.
But I would say that I am crucially aware of the importance of the Black Sea, the issues that surround the Black Sea currently with the war in Ukraine. And we are making sure that the needs of our Allies are addressed both by the Alliance and by the United States of America to provide strategic help.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. We’ll go now to Kristina Zeleniuk from 1+1 Media in Ukraine. She asks: “What will the U.S. do if Putin rejects the requirements of an immediate, unconditional ceasefire for 30 days as a precondition for the start of any negotiations? Will the U.S. put more sanctions on Russia in coordination with European Allies?”
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Did you cut out there, John, or was that the question? I’m sorry.
MODERATOR: All right, that was the question, sir.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Okay. Yeah. All right. Well – so I mean, obviously, we will ultimately have to judge President Putin’s commitment to a long-term ceasefire by their actions, not their words. We have to get to the table to negotiate an end to this war. And if we don’t get to a table – to the table, then there won’t be an end to this war. The relationship between the United States and Russia is not probably even germane to where we are right now, because we need to see if we can end this war. And President Trump has ultimately the ability and the unique ability to bring both sides to the table. We – we’re – we’ve gotten further down this road with him leading this. And if anybody can get a peace deal done, it’s President Trump. And obviously he wants to end the killing, most importantly, and the dying and just the tragedy we’re seeing play out on a daily – an hourly, a daily, a weekly, and a monthly basis.
And so I think we just have to take this at a step at a time. I think President Trump has expressed that he’s been frustrated with Russia. He had previously been frustrated with Ukraine. But from where I sit right now, I think we are as close as we’ve ever been to the war ending and the fighting to stop. And I think that is a – that’s a great step. But again, we have to see how this plays out on Thursday and just take it a step at a time. So it’s just hard to predict what happens after that. And hopefully with God’s help, we’ll get a deal done on Thursday and we’ll have peace and an end to the fighting.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. I know you’re on a tight schedule, so we just have one more question. Nicholas Barotte from Le Figaro and then Maarten Rabaey from De Morgen both asked a similar question. Essentially, if an international coalition of the willing can provide a reassurance force to Ukraine as part of this peace negotiation, will the United States be able to provide backstop support?
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: I think all of these kind of topics are all related. And we need to get – whatever the deal is and whatever the United States’s role and whatever Europe’s role and our allies’ role, the United States will be able to provide. But that’s – those negotiations, those decisions, those are ultimately up to the President of the United States. And my – and I think everything is on the table to try to get a peace deal. But ultimately both sides – Russia and Ukraine – are going to have to agree to that deal and then the deal will have to hold. And Europe’s role, United States role, I think that is all being negotiated by President Trump and his team. And ultimately, we’ll see if we can get all sides to agree.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Like I said, I know you have a tight schedule, so I think we’ll wrap it up here.
AMBASSADOR WHITAKER: Right. Got to get on to the next thing, but I appreciate it. And thank you, everyone. And I look forward – I’m sure some of you will be in Türkiye this week. A lot may be happening on Thursday, and I look forward to seeing some of you if not all of you in person. Thanks for the time.
MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Unfortunately that’s all the time we have for today. Thanks, everyone, for your questions, and obviously thanks to the ambassador for joining us. Shortly, we will send the audio recording of the briefing to all participating journalists and provide a transcript as soon as it is available. Thanks again to everyone for participating, and we hope you can join us for another press briefing in the near future. This ends today’s briefing.
# # #
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with German Foreign Minister Wadephul
05/15/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with German Foreign Minister Wadephul
05/15/2025 08:13 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on the margins of the NATO foreign ministers informal meeting in Antalya. They discussed bilateral and global priorities, including working together to address threats posed by China, ending the Russia-Ukraine war, strengthening NATO and European defense, and preventing Iran from developing or acquiring nuclear weapons.
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Transatlantic Quint Foreign Ministers
05/15/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Transatlantic Quint Foreign Ministers
05/15/2025 10:06 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today on the sidelines of the NATO Informal Foreign Ministers Meeting in Antalya, Türkiye, with the Transatlantic Quint Foreign Ministers: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Secretary Rubio briefed the ministers on President Trump’s efforts to halt the senseless bloodshed in Ukraine and emphasized that European leadership is critical for getting Russia and Ukraine to negotiate in good faith for a swift and durable peace settlement. The Secretary and Foreign Ministers agreed on the urgent need to increase NATO burden-sharing and European defense spending. Secretary Rubio stressed that U.S. defense companies are integral to the transatlantic industrial base and should not be sidelined in Europe’s rearmament efforts. Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ desire to give Syria a chance at greatness. The leaders also discussed shared priorities including preventing Iran from developing or obtaining a nuclear weapon and countering China’s influence.
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
05/15/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
05/15/2025 02:27 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan
Readout
May 15, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan today in Antalya, Türkiye, to discuss security priorities for the NATO Alliance. The Secretary thanked Türkiye for hosting the meeting and emphasized the need to solidify NATO’s path to 5 percent defense spending for all Allies. The Secretary and FM Fidan also discussed key developments in the region, including in Syria and Iran, and bilateral trade and energy issues.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Turkey
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Türkiye and Ukraine
05/16/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Türkiye and Ukraine
05/16/2025 08:01 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Türkiye and Ukraine
Readout
May 16, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary Rubio met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrii Yermak, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan today in Istanbul, Türkiye.
The three delegations discussed the importance of seeking a peaceful end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The Secretary noted today’s direct talks between Russia and Ukraine while reiterating the U.S. position that the killing needs to stop.
Secretary Rubio also thanked Foreign Minister Fidan for hosting these important discussions.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State Turkey Ukraine
The Week at State: May 9 – May 15, 2025
05/16/2025
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May 9 – May 15
President Trump is catalyzing investment and negotiating fair trade deals to accelerate American employment and prosperity. Secretary Rubio joined President Trump on a trip to the Middle East to secure historic investment commitments.
Here's what happened at State this week. ⤵️✈️ Secretary Rubio traveled to Türkiye to attend NATO meetings and advance President Trump's agenda of ensuring that our Allies contribute their fair share to making NATO stronger and more effective.
💬 Deputy Secretary Landau promoted the U.S. as the top destination for foreign direct investment at the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit.
🌎 We welcomed Afrikaner refugees from South Africa, protecting a group facing racial discrimination and violence.
U.S. Economic Diplomacy in the Middle East
On his trip to the Middle East, Secretary Marco Rubio holds a meet and greet with employees and families at U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025. (State Dept./ Freddie Everett)
This week, Secretary Rubio joined President Trump in Saudi Arabia and Qatar to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Gulf partners.
📍 In Saudi Arabia, President Trump announced a historic $600 billion investment commitment from Saudi Arabia in the U.S. As laid out in a White House fact sheet, the deal spans defense, energy, and technology, aiming to create jobs and boost American prosperity.
📍 In Qatar, President Trump met with His Highness Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to advance U.S.-Qatar cooperation across key sectors like counterterrorism, trade, and education.
📍 Following his Middle East trip, Secretary Rubio traveled to Türkiye for meetings with NATO counterparts. Secretary Rubio emphasized the U.S. priorities ahead of this year's NATO Summit, including increased defense spending.
Next up, Secretary Rubio is headed to Italy and the Holy See as a member of the U.S. delegation attending Pope Leo XIV's inaugural Mass on May 18.
Driving American Prosperity Through Investment
In remarks at the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau emphasizes the importance of foreign direct investment in the U.S. and the Department's role in building commercial and economic ties with countries around the world. (State Dept.)
On May 13, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau addressed international investors at the 2025 SelectUSA Investment Summit. This weeklong event connects overseas companies with U.S. economic development organizations, industry experts, and potential financial backers, spurring U.S. economic growth.
The Deputy Secretary highlighted the U.S. as the top global destination for foreign direct investment. "Since the first Investment Summit in 2011, SelectUSA has attracted thousands of international companies and economic development representatives, generating over $135 billion in new investment projects across the United States and its territories," he said in an exclusive piece on our Substack page.
U.S. Welcomes Afrikaner Refugees
Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau greets a group of Afrikaner refugees arriving in the United States on May 12, 2025. (State Dept.)
On May 12, Deputy Secretary Landau welcomed the first group of Afrikaner refugees to the United States as part of the Administration's commitment to protect victims of racial discrimination.
News You May Have MissedIndia and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire and committed to future negotiations, following talks led by Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio.
We celebrated the release of Edan Alexander, an American who was held hostage for 583 days in Gaza.
We hosted officials from Brazil for the 9th Disarmament and Nonproliferation Dialogue, engaging on nuclear safeguards and arms control to ensure a safer and more secure world.
We launched a first-of-its-kind partnership with Ukraine that will support the country's reconstruction and long-term economic success.
Secretary Rubio shared a message for National Police Week, paying tribute to those who have laid down their lives in the line of duty, including four of our Diplomatic Security Service special agents.
Looking AheadMay 26: Memorial Day
Note to Our Readers
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio Before His Meeting with Archbishop of Bologna, President of Italian Bishops’ Conference, Papal Envoy for Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
05/17/2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Before His Meeting with Archbishop of Bologna, President of Italian Bishops’ Conference, Papal Envoy for Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
05/17/2025 09:38 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
U.S. Embassy to the Holy See Rome, Italy
HomeSecretary of State Marco Rubio Before His Meeting with Archbishop of Bologna, President of Italian Bishops’ Conference, Papal Envoy for Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio Before His Meeting with Archbishop of Bologna, President of Italian Bishops’ Conference, Papal Envoy for Ukraine Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
Remarks
May 17, 2025
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, Your Eminence, will you be discussing Ukraine today?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Yes, yes, and we thank the Holy See for its willingness to be involved in this process. Obviously there are a number of countries that have offered that as well, but we think it would be – we’ll talk about that, the status of the talks, the updates after yesterday, and the path forward.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Do you think – do you think they can be one of the brokers or the broker in helping get (inaudible)?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, I wouldn’t call it a broker but it certainly is a place that I would think that both sides would be comfortable coming. So we are grateful for their longstanding efforts not simply on trying to broker peace but on the exchanges of prisoners; there are children that have currently been taken from their homes that the Ukrainians would like to see returned, and they, the Holy See, has been very involved in that regard. So we’ll talk about that and all of it, and obviously always grateful for the willingness of the Vatican to play this constructive and positive role.
Thank you.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Meetings with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin,Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
05/17/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meetings with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin,Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
05/17/2025 10:49 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeSecretary Rubio’s Meetings with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin,Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
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Secretary Rubio’s Meetings with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin,Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, and Cardinal Matteo Zuppi
Readout
May 17, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Holy See Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, to express heartfelt congratulations on behalf of the United States ahead of the inauguration of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. They reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and the Holy See and discussed our shared commitment to ending the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The United States stands firm in support of freedom of religion and the Secretary looks forward to working with the Holy See to protect these rights globally.
Secretary Rubio also met with Cardinal Zuppi to discuss the urgent need to end the Russia-Ukraine war. The Secretary expressed appreciation for the Vatican’s important humanitarian role, including facilitating prisoner exchanges and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration under the new leadership of Pope Leo XIV.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Holy See Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
Secretary Rubio’s Phone Call with Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov
05/17/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Phone Call with Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov
05/17/2025 11:18 AM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
HomeSecretary Rubio’s Phone Call with Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov
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Secretary Rubio’s Phone Call with Russia Foreign Minister Lavrov
Readout
May 17, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today. Secretary Rubio welcomed the prisoner exchange agreement reached during the May 16 Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul and delivered President Trump’s strong message: the United States is committed to achieving a lasting end to the Russia-Ukraine war. The comprehensive peace plan proposed by the United States outlines the best way forward. The Secretary emphasized President Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Office of the Spokesperson Russia The Secretary of State Ukraine
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani
05/17/2025
Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani
05/17/2025 05:54 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
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Secretary Rubio’s Meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Tajani
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May 17, 2025
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani about the urgent need for a ceasefire in Ukraine and a path to durable peace. The two leaders also discussed our nations’ enduring friendship and unity on a multitude of foreign policy issues.
Secretary Rubio acknowledged Italy’s steps to increase defense spending and appreciated Minister Tajani’s remarks committing to investment in the United States, as well as their determination to meet President Trump’s defense spending target of five percent of GDP. Additionally, the two leaders exchanged views on key developments in the Middle East, including Israel, Libya, and Syria.
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Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Italy Office of the Spokesperson The Secretary of State
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