NATO allies gather in Brussels after inconclusive Ukraine peace talks in Moscow

Almost all of NATO's foreign ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, a day after inconclusive Ukraine peace talks between the United States and President Vladimir Putin, and as European officials struggled for a seat at the negotiating table

Almost all of NATO's foreign ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday, a day after inconclusive Ukraine peace talks between the United States and President Vladimir Putin, and as European officials struggled for a seat at the negotiating table.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that despite the absence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio — believed to be the first time in 22 years that America's top diplomat did not attend a ministerial gathering of this kind — he remained "very much involved" in the process.

Rutte said he was in “constant contact” with Rubio, adding: “I would not read anything in it.”

The State Department said Monday that Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau would attend instead of Rubio.

Rutte said Tuesday when it comes to the NATO elements of any peace deal “that will be dealt with separately, and that obviously will include NATO.”