Marco Rubio said that both Russia and Ukraine will have to make "concessions" in order to reach the peace deal promised by Donald Trump as he offered a full-throated defense of the president-elect`s vision for America`s role around the world – and his own hawkish record on foreign policy, writes The Guardian.

Rubio, Trump`s nominee for secretary of state, told the Senate foreign relations committee that the war in Ukraine had become a "stalemate" and "has to end"; that the US should show China that it would pay "too high" a price for invading Taiwan; and that European countries have to stop treating US support for Nato as an “excuse to … spend on domestic needs".

Speaking on the war in Ukraine, which Trump had vowed to end within 24 hours of taking office, Rubio said that there was "no way Russia takes all of Ukraine" – but also that Ukraine would not be able to retake all its sovereign territory held by Russia. In order to reach a peace deal, Rubio continued, "there will have to be concessions made by Russia, but also by the Ukrainians and the US".

US sanctions relief on Russia may also enter the discussion, Rubio said, noting that they gave Washington "leverage" over Russia and that "sanctions and the release of sanctions" would "have to be part of this conversation in terms of bringing about a … resolution".