1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: So the United States and Russia are going to appoint 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: teams to negotiate ending the Ukraine War. You were Secretary 3 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: of State. Marco Rubio has finished up a for our 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia. Sergey Leverov, Russia's 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: foreign minister, says, Russia and the United States have agreed 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: to congrect to create conditions to restore cooperation in full 7 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: between the two nations. 8 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 2: We did not just listen to each other, but we 9 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 2: heard each other. I have every reason to believe that 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 2: the American side understands our position. 11 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: So what might have happened in that meeting? Marco Rubio's 12 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,639 Speaker 1: former chief of staff is a fellow by the name 13 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: of Matt Terrell. He's in Milwaukee, and Matt joins me. 14 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 3: Now, hello, Matt, Hey, great to be you're with you. 15 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: What do you think happened in that for our meeting? 16 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 3: Well, we'll see what comes out of the reporting on it. 17 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 3: You know, what I can tell you is that it 18 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 3: appears to be a first step in terms of negotiations here, 19 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 3: particularly with Russia. And so the bottom line here is, 20 00:00:58,800 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 3: you know, it's a first step. 21 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: Yes, Michael Rubo says the peace is a verb, not 22 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: a noun, and it's all about incremental steps. 23 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 3: That's right. Look, at the end of the day, actually 24 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 3: speak louder than words and support and have meetings the 25 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 3: support and have dialogue and discussions. But the end of 26 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 3: the day comes down to action, and you get to 27 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 3: see action on the side of Putin went to see 28 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 3: action among other actors here particause it relates to Russia 29 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 3: and deciding what happens here. But obviously ukrainily at that 30 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 3: table as well. You know what President Trump spoke just 31 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:30,480 Speaker 3: a few days ago with Villainsky and you know the 32 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 3: bottom line here, Steve Woodkoff and others on the foreign 33 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 3: polity team of President Trump's team have been discussions with 34 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 3: Ukraine officials and Russia officials now and it appears in 35 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 3: Saudi Arabia. So you know, at the end of the day, 36 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 3: it's going to come down in what the actions are. 37 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 3: And clearly we'll have to see what that all means 38 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 3: the main book, because the discussions about land and discussions 39 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 3: about whether or not Ukraine would be able to join NATO, 40 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,320 Speaker 3: those are all things that are going to be discussed here, negotiated. 41 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 3: Those are many of the key things that I think 42 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,480 Speaker 3: are going to be certainly on the table in the day. 43 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 3: You know, look, this war needs to end. That President 44 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 3: Trump campaign down, any campaign and any miss warrant to negotiation, 45 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 3: not to putting boots on the ground. So right now 46 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 3: it comes down to with these discussions, having the discussions unfold. Again, 47 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 3: what occurred here over the past few hours is just 48 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 3: the first step. But you don't get to finalization negotiations 49 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 3: without starting negotiations. And hopefully what we're seeing here in 50 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 3: terms of a peaceful resolution and negotiate resolution here that 51 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 3: won't require more bloodshed. 52 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: Well, when do you think the United States will talk 53 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 1: to the Ukrainian side because they have to be part 54 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: of the negotiations in the end. 55 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 3: Well, it's viral that they are and they have been. 56 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 3: I mean, look, you saw Secretary of Rubio and others 57 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 3: clearly state that, you know, the United States and President 58 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 3: Trump have been in discussions, and Josh with Zelenski and 59 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 3: so look at the end of the day, and it's 60 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 3: port and recognize that they are at the table here clearly. 61 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 3: Obviously you're seeing other voices here among Europe voice their 62 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 3: thoughts on this. But look, the reality is it's going 63 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 3: to come down to having they have both leaders, both 64 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 3: Putin Angelums at the table here among other key key 65 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 3: players here, they help bring this war to an end. 66 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 3: But I think, you know, and it's repentitive here, redundant 67 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:14,680 Speaker 3: on this point. But really I think the key goal 68 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 3: here in Saudi Arabia once too, at least get Putin 69 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: and his team if you will, to the table. Now 70 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 3: you can't start negotiations, so you actually get these key 71 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 3: players to the table. And that was the first step here. 72 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: It's not the only step. I think There's many more 73 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 3: steps of course, are going to be needed here. But again, 74 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 3: the goal here is to end this saying, you know, 75 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: there's been reports, I don't know how accurate they are 76 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 3: or not, the reports that you know, the Russian military 77 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 3: has lost over one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers and 78 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 3: obviously their economy is taking a hit by much of 79 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,240 Speaker 3: the recording we're saying. You know, I think at the 80 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 3: end of the day, this this is something that in 81 00:03:48,520 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 3: addition to you know, the lives sally lost in the 82 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 3: Ukraine side, you know, this is something I need to 83 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: come to an end. Present some campaign down that and 84 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 3: that's something he wants to deliver on I think soon here. 85 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: And you've been Michael Rubia as chief of Is he 86 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 1: good at this sort of stuff? 87 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 3: Well, I worked with on his twenty fifteen campaign and 88 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 3: when he was learning for president in twenty sixteen, he 89 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 3: was able. When I recognize the least and many of 90 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 3: those who work with him recognized, was his ability to 91 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 3: dive deep into the foreign policy issues that don't always 92 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 3: get the headlines. So, look, he has a very clear 93 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 3: understanding of history. I think he is a very clear 94 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 3: understanding of the key challenges that we are facing when 95 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 3: it comes to your question of negotiation. Look, this is 96 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 3: someone who has been at this during his time in 97 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 3: the senatepal Relations Committee, the Senate Intel Committee. He's not 98 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 3: new to the foreign policy challenges that we're facing, not 99 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 3: just as a country, but as a world. I think 100 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 3: this is somebody who's got charisma and ability to negotiate. 101 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 3: But to me, him and others obviously at the table here, 102 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 3: but then they it's gonna come down to I think 103 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: President Trump. You know, I think there's only one world 104 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 3: leader right now who can really bring this thing to 105 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 3: an end. I think that that's President Trump. I think 106 00:04:53,160 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 3: it's one of the reasons why he won the last 107 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 3: election in twenty twenty four, because Americans want to see 108 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 3: this war coming to end, as the people around the world. 109 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,960 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, Matt Terrell, I thank you for your time. 110 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 1: Matt Terrell is Marco Rubio's former chief of staff. 111 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 3: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 112 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,560 Speaker 3: to news Talks. It'd be from five am weekdays, or 113 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 3: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.