According to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the war in Ukraine can only come to an end with President Trump meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Rubio referred to Trump as a “lover of peace” and emphasized the crucial role their meeting would play in resolving the conflict.

“I think that’s the only chance we have at peace at this point, given everything we’ve seen over the last few weeks,” Rubio told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Thursday, reiterating remarks Trump made earlier that “nothing’s going to happen” until the two come face to face.

“There’s been talks, there’s been negotiations, there’s been trips and meetings — but in the end, I think we’ve reached the conclusion, rightfully so, as the president has, that the only way this is going to happen, if it has a chance to happen, the only way it happens is, if the president directly engages with Vladimir Putin,” he added.

Rubio, who is leading a US delegation in Turkey for talks — proposed by Putin— aimed at settling the bloodiest European conflict since World War II, lauded Trump as a peace-centric president.

“The president, frankly, is a lover of peace,” the top US diplomat said.

“This is a person that wants to stop wars and prevent wars and end wars. That’s what the president endeavors to do,” Rubio continued.

“I still don’t understand why some would be critical of the president,” he added. “They should be happy that the president of the most powerful nation on earth is a peacemaker who seeks to prevent wars, seeks to end wars, and seeks to stop existing wars.”

“That, I think, is something we should be very proud of.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for more information.