Rubio told Samarkand the war should end.

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan — Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that Ukraine and Russia should be focused on ending the war. He spoke to reporters at Registan Square. Asked about a possible meeting of President Trump, President Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping, he said, "There's been talks of a meeting. I don't know whether it's been finalized, but the president has been clear. He'd like the war in Ukraine and Russia to end." The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday, citing people familiar with the discussions, that Putin had proposed a summit next month in China. Rubio did not say the meeting was on.

"We see nothing good coming from this war," he said. "We see a lot of downside to it, including the very real risk of escalation and spread of this thing into another country because of a failed sabotage attack, because of drones that are hit with electronic warfare and they wander into a neighbouring country." The same morning, a Russian strike killed a woman in Kyiv. That attack is on the World War desk. This note is the secretary of state, in the square, saying the war should stop.

We see nothing good coming from this war.

The photograph is Monday: Rubio in a dark suit, both hands up, speaking. Behind him are the tiled towers of the Registan and two flags of Uzbekistan. Kylie Cooper of Reuters made the frame. It is not a posed portrait in Washington. It is not Zelensky.