Rubio and Czech Minister Discuss Ukraine Amid Trump-Zelenskiy Tensions

PRAGUE/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Russia's war in Ukraine with Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky on Monday as Washington and Europe seek to regroup following U.S. President Donald Trump's clash with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week.

The two officials discussed U.S.-Czech relations "including our support of peace and stability, increasing defense spending for NATO, and buying U.S. technology to help meet Czechia’s energy needs," U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement following their call.

Rubio also "emphasized President Trump’s determination to bring a durable end to the Russia-Ukraine war," she added. Trump on Monday signaled that his patience was running out as European leaders floated a potential ceasefire.

Lipavsky, in a post on X, said separately that working with the U.S. on a just and lasting peace for Ukraine remains a priority for the Czech government.

"We discussed mutually beneficial transatlantic cooperation including Europe significantly stepping up its burden sharing," he said.

Following a meeting of European leaders in London to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Sunday his ministers would discuss increasing defense spending.

"The goal for all of us is a just peace, a peace that holds," Fiala said before heading to London.

(Reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague and Jasper Ward in Washington; Writing by Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Susan Heavey; Editing by Jan Harvey)