Rubio as a hero? Power struggles in the Trump administration? A distorted story is circulating in Germany – and it is simply nonsense

A picture is spreading in Germany that has little to do with reality in Washington: Marco Rubio as the man who defused a plan fatal to Ukraine at the last second. A secretary of state as the final shield against Kremlin demands. A Republican who supposedly stood up to Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and JD Vance. But anyone who looks at the facts sees something completely different. The romanticized image circulating right now on social media and even in reputable outlets is not a misunderstanding – it is distorted, incomplete, and politically convenient. And it distracts from the decisive point: Rubio continues to defend the same framework his supposed rivals designed. And that framework is the problem, because on November 18, 2025, after reviewing the draft, Rubio signaled that he regarded it as unbalanced and primarily as a risk to American interests – not to Ukraine.

The original 28 point plan from the Trump orbit, designed by Witkoff and Kushner and coordinated with Kremlin linked contacts, demanded nothing less from Ukraine than territorial concessions, a weakening of its own army, the end of any NATO perspective, and a special role for Russia without equivalent obligations. In Europe this triggered alarm – rightly so. But in Germany the story suddenly became that of a man who heroically intervened and in Geneva “negotiated away the worst points.”

This is where the misrepresentation begins. The decisive passage is missing almost everywhere: The plan still exists. And Rubio defends it. Even after NBC reported that Under Secretary Daniel Driscoll had warned Ukraine of an “imminent defeat,” Rubio and Vance stood together, reacted publicly on X, and called the reports “one hundred percent fabricated.” They did not oppose each other – they stood side by side. They spoke of “working in lockstep” and “unity in approach.” Anyone who claims Rubio is the internal resistance to his own government is spreading a false picture. And more importantly: Rubio denied only the phrase about an “imminent defeat.” He did not deny that Driscoll presented the plan in Kyiv. He did not deny that the plan includes territorial concessions. He did not deny that limiting the Ukrainian armed forces remains part of the framework. He did not deny that the United States is exerting massive pressure on Ukraine.

“This story is just the latest example of a long-running series of one hundred percent fabricated false reports claiming a rift inside the Trump administration over how to end the war in Ukraine. These people do not just get things wrong – they make things up.”

All of this is conveniently left out in Germany – because it does not fit the comfortable story of the “good Republican” who stands against the chaos. It sounds nicer to claim Rubio reduced the plan to “19 points” and made it “more Ukrainian.” But the truth is simple: no one knows the exact changes. The Republicans who actually oppose the plan, on the other hand, are mostly ignored.

In Brussels and Kyiv hardly anyone speaks of a “saved plan.” They speak of a document that has been cosmetically altered but remains the same in its basic direction. They speak of growing pressure from Washington. They speak of a potential end to military support if Kyiv does not give in. In Germany, however, this situation is being turned into a fairy tale – and that is not only wrong but dangerous. Because anyone who claims Rubio is the guarantee that Ukraine will not be abandoned creates an illusion. An illusion that makes the situation appear less serious than it is. An illusion that conceals the actual pressure on Kyiv. And an illusion that obscures the responsibility of the US government, which has been trying for months to push through a deal that would be celebrated in Moscow. The hard reality is this: Rubio and Vance differ less than many believe. They have different tones, but the same direction. Anyone who ignores this contributes to confusion – and to the trivialization of a plan that pushes Ukraine to the brink.

„Der Friedensvorschlag wurde von den USA verfasst. “The peace proposal was authored by the United States. It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations. It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.” Er beruht auf Beiträgen der russischen Seite. Aber er beruht ebenso auf früheren und laufenden Beiträgen der Ukraine.“

What is being shared in Germany right now is not analysis. It is a smoothed version that distorts the political pressure, the actual power dynamics, and the role of the secretary of state. It is disinformation by omission. And that is exactly why it must be addressed openly. Rubio is not the man who saved Ukraine. He is the man who defends the framework that pushes Ukraine into a dangerous relationship of dependence and endangers American interests.

And that is the story.