The key facts
- Rubio: without US help, Ukraine would not exist now
- The Secretary of State denied the White House's involvement in restricting Starlink's operation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces
- He named Donbas as the main point of contention in the talks
Rubio's statement in India
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, answering journalists' questions during a visit to India, said that Ukraine would not have been able to survive as a sovereign state without American help. His words were cited by Bloomberg. 'If it were not for the help of the United States <...> Ukraine would not exist now,' the head of the State Department emphasized. He clarified that this refers to the multibillion-dollar support that Washington provided to Kyiv both under the administration of Joe Biden and after Donald Trump's return to the White House.
Reaction to the Starlink publication
The statement was prompted by a publication in The Wall Street Journal, according to which Elon Musk ordered the restriction of SpaceX satellite communications for the Ukrainian military. According to the newspaper, the decision affected a specialized service used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including to repel air attacks. Rubio denied the American administration's involvement in the alleged restriction of communications: according to him, the White House did not know about such a decision in advance and did not give relevant instructions. The Secretary of State explained that the terms of use of satellite internet are determined by the private company based on existing contracts.
On the talks and previous statements
Rubio acknowledged the courage of Ukrainian servicemen, but emphasized that negotiations on ending the conflict remain extremely difficult. One of the main points of contention, according to him, remains Donbas, and to reach an agreement the parties will have to make mutual concessions. It was previously reported that Musk opposed the use of Starlink in offensive military operations and claimed that decisions on the military Starshield system are made by the American authorities. Subsequently, Volodymyr Zelensky complained about satellite communication failures when moving terminals at speeds of 130–161 km/h. On October 20, Rubio, after a 45-minute conversation with the Ukrainian politician, denied reports about the cessation of intelligence sharing, stating that Washington had not changed the procedure for cooperation with Kyiv.
