Rubio says Trump administration increasing pressure on Moscow

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the steps taken by the administration of President Donald Trump are "increasing pressure" on Moscow, citing Washington’s arms sales to Kyiv and refusal to sell weapons to Russia.

Speaking to reporters, Rubio emphasised the administration’s continued support for Ukraine, noting, "The administration continues to increase pressure on Moscow. For example, the president imposed additional sanctions at the end of last year against their oil company Rosneft. The administration continues to sell arms to Ukraine. We do not sell weapons to Russia and we do not impose sanctions on Ukraine."

He reiterated that the United States is "the only country on the planet that has managed to get Russian and Ukrainian negotiators to sit down and talk to each other."

Rubio also stressed the U.S. commitment to peace talks, saying, "We don't want to back down from [peace talks]... We know that ultimately, this war in Ukraine has no military solution. This war will be resolved through negotiations, and we are the only country in the world that can be a catalyst for negotiations. If we abandon this role, no one else will be able to do it."

At the same time, Rubio noted Trump’s frustration over the ongoing conflict. "Do I believe that the president's patience is infinite? I don't believe it is. But I'm not going to predict for you when it's going to end or at what point he's going to decide not to do it anymore... I think you've heard him express deep frustration that it's not over yet because he thinks it's a completely stupid and pointless war..."

By Aghakazim Guliyev