U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio plans to skip a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels next week, two U.S. officials told reporters, marking a highly unusual absence for the top American diplomat at a major transatlantic gathering.

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau will represent Washington instead, according to one of the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the matter.

Timing and Context

It remains unclear why Rubio plans to skip the 3 December meeting, and his plans could change at the last moment. However, the likely absence comes at a critical time as U.S. and Ukrainian officials work to narrow differences over President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some European diplomats have expressed concern that they are being excluded from the process.

Typically, NATO holds two formal meetings of foreign ministers per year, and it is exceedingly rare for a U.S. secretary of state to be absent. In 2017, during Trump’s first term, then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially planned to skip an April meeting, though it was later rescheduled to accommodate his schedule.

Official Statements

A State Department spokesperson declined to comment on Rubio’s potential absence, but noted that the NATO alliance had been “completely revitalised” during the Trump administration.

“The historic foreign policy achievements in just 10 months of this Administration speak for themselves,” the spokesperson said.

A NATO official deferred to the United States regarding Rubio’s attendance but added that it was not unusual for some foreign ministers to miss the event.

Concerns Over Ukraine and European Security

Ukrainian and European officials have voiced concerns about being pressured into a deal perceived as overly favourable to Russian interests, especially after a draft 28-point plan to end the war was leaked on 18 November.

Rubio’s absence raises questions over Washington’s commitment to European security, which has faced scrutiny in recent years.

Landau, the deputy U.S. diplomat attending in Rubio’s place, previously questioned the need for NATO in a June post on X, which he later deleted. While Trump reaffirmed his support for NATO during a summit in June, he has also consistently urged member states to increase defence spending, saying the U.S. will no longer “bail them out.”

Additional Developments in Ukraine

The absence occurs at a sensitive moment for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday, shortly after anti-corruption agents searched his home.

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