This is Marco Rubio's moment

Strangely, all the pressure this time is not on Zelensky's "peace" negotiators now in Jeddah but on Marco Rubio, US secretary of state,,who has been given the task by Donald Trump of fixing some sort of settlement to end the war. Rubio, with two tough co-negotiators, Mike Waltz, national security adviser, and Steve Witkoff, special bruiser envoy for the Middle East and Russia/Ukraine, has to come away with something really positive. Not necessarily a wrapped-up agreemenbt, it's too early for that, but a strong pointer for Trump that the negotiating is going to achieve what he expects, a signed deal to end the war. Trump doesn't like failure and he is anticipating that Rubio will deliver. In a way, Rubio is the nice guy here and the other two, especially Steve Witkoff, are the heavy-duty ball-breakers who will apply blunt pressure on the Ukrainian delegation to offer meaningful concessions. Rubio told reporters travelling with him on the plane to Saudi Arabia that Ukraine would have to concede land but he did add that Russia should also be ready to make concessions. In the end, it will be a get-together between Putin and Trump, probably in Saudia Arabia, which will get the fine detail sorted out. But for the moment, it's Rubio's chance to make a name for himself. If he fails, Trump will not be best pleased, and Rubio could be on a short lease.