Alabama man who fought in Ukraine war says he is disappointed in Secretary of State's remarks on peace talks
As peace talks between Russia and Ukraine continue in the Middle East, Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear the United States wants to see quick progress.
"We need to figure out here now within a matter of days whether this is doable in the short term because if it's not, then I think we're just going to move on from our perspective," Rubio said Friday. "The president feels very strongly about that."
The stern tone in Rubio's remarks came as a disappointment to Alex Drueke, an Alabama man who flew overseas twice to fight for Ukraine after Russia's invasion in 2022.
"Any time negative news comes out about Ukraine or I feel like there's a chance that we can pull back the support that they really need, it really hurts because Ukraine is my second home," Drueke said.
His first time on Ukraine's front lines, Drueke was captured by Russian forces and released after two months as a prisoner of war.
Not long after he came back to the States, he went back east again a second time to help the country keep fighting back.
Drueke said he thought U.S. leaders believed in the cause, too, until now.
"I'm extremely upset," Drueke said. "Not just for me and my experiences, but you know, people need to realize that this is not just about Ukraine. This is a global issue. And if Ukraine falls, it will be an even bigger global issue. We absolutely cannot abandon Ukraine. And this is not Ukraine's fault."
The talks are expected to take several days. Russian and Ukrainian officials said progress is being made. A partial ceasefire has been agreed to, but nothing more.
Drueke said he hopes the U.S. sees the peace talks through and keeps its commitment to the Ukrainian people.
"We are really failing to live up to those things that we say we stand for, and so, you know, I'm also very hurt to see what's happening in both of my countries," Drueke said. "You know, I'm worried about Ukraine and I'm worried about the U.S. for sure."
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President Donald Trump has pressured both sides to come to the negotiating table, threatening tougher sanctions on Russia or an end to billions of dollars in U.S. military support for Kyiv.