Secretary Rubio clarifies US stance on Russia, Ukraine conflict
Speaking from Manama, Bahrain, Secretary Rubio sought to clarify Washington’s position on reported understandings with Russia over Ukraine, stressing that no finalized agreement had been reached. He said what existed was only a proposal, while emphasizing that the United States remains committed to helping bring an end to the war in a constructive way. Rubio also pointed to the staggering human cost of the conflict, including the heavy toll among Russian troops.
The comments came as the war showed no signs of easing. Overnight, Ukraine launched a large-scale assault targeting a dozen Russian regions, Russian-occupied Crimea and nearby seas, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Friday, according to The Associated Press. The operation appeared to be among Ukraine’s biggest drone attacks since Russia began its full-scale invasion several years ago.
Russia’s defense ministry said its air defenses intercepted 660 Ukrainian drones, the AP reported. By comparison, the largest Ukrainian drone attack recorded over the past year had involved 556 drones on May 17.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 47 Ukrainian drones were destroyed as they approached the Russian capital, according to the report.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures during a meeting with Britain’s prime minister on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian, eastern France, on June 16, 2026. (Isabel Infantes / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine also reported facing a heavy Russian barrage. The country’s air force said its defenses shot down 174 of 189 Russian drones overnight, the AP reported. However, four of seven Iskander-M ballistic missiles got through and struck multiple locations.
Despite the continued fighting, the two sides carried out another prisoner exchange. Officials said 160 people from each side were returning home Friday, according to the AP.
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In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting by video link in Moscow on June 25, 2026. (Pavel Byrkin / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted in a Friday post on X, “We continue bringing Ukrainians home from Russian captivity. Today, 160 servicemembers were released from captivity. All of them had been held captive since 2022.”
“Among those released today are servicemembers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service, National Guard warriors, and border guards. They defended Ukraine in Mariupol and at Azovstal, as well as in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy sectors,” he continued.
Trucks are engulfed by smoke from a fire at a parking lot in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on June 25, 2026. (Dmytro Smolienko/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“I thank our entire team, which works every day to bring our people back. Special gratitude to all our units on the frontline who replenish Ukraine’s ‘exchange fund’ and, through their courage, make it possible for us to bring people home. We remember everyone who remains in captivity. We are checking every name. We must bring everyone back – both military personnel and civilians,” Zelenskyy added.
