Overview
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio's Air Force C-32 plane turned back to Joint Base Andrews after a cockpit windshield crack was discovered mid-flight.
- The aircraft, a converted Boeing 757, landed safely in Maryland around 10 p.m. ET on Thursday night, approximately 90 minutes after takeoff.
- Rubio was en route to the Munich Security Conference, where discussions on the Russia-Ukraine war and potential peace negotiations are a central focus.
- The delay raises questions about whether Rubio will attend a planned Friday meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Rubio intends to resume his trip to Germany and continue to the Middle East on a different aircraft, according to a State Department spokesperson.