The top diplomat’s comments come as ties between Washington and Kyiv hit a new low amid the ongoing war with Russia.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has remarked that Ukraine “would not exist” if it were not for assistance from the United States .
“If it were not for the assistance of the United States, including under the Trump administration, there would be no Ukraine right now,” said Rubio.
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported that a slowdown in satellite services to Ukraine was done after Elon Musk, a Trump ally, had talked about it with officials from the Trump administration. Responding to reporters, Rubio stated that the administration was not aware of this matter, adding that the government can’t control what a private company does with its product. “The president has nothing to do with the decisions that are made by Starlink and Starshield and by Mr. Musk. That’s a private company; the president doesn’t run that company and can’t direct that company to do anything… Over the past few weeks, ties between the United States and Ukraine have deteriorated, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accusing US President Donald Trump of trying to coerce his country into capitulating to Russia. Meanwhile, Trump has called on the Ukrainian president to “make a deal.
I’m telling you, there was no foreknowledge,” said Rubio. Amid the tensions between Trump and Zelensky, the Ukrainian President held “positive talks” with special envoy Steve Witkoff. “He’s going to have to want to make a deal, because I don’t think his people are going to stand for it any longer,” the US president added.
