The key facts
- Marco Rubio said in India that without US help, Ukraine would not exist as a sovereign state.
- He was commenting on a Wall Street Journal article about Elon Musk's involvement in Starshield restrictions in Ukraine.
- According to Rubio, the Trump administration did not allow the introduction of such restrictions.
The Secretary of State's statement
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists in India that without Washington's support, including from the administration of Donald Trump, Ukraine would not have been able to survive to this day as a sovereign state. 'If there had been no help from the United States, including during the Trump administration, Ukraine would not exist today. It would not exist as a sovereign state,' Bloomberg quoted him as saying.
Comment on Starshield
According to Bloomberg, Rubio was commenting on a Wall Street Journal article about the involvement of SpaceX founder Elon Musk in imposing restrictions on the operation of the Starshield satellite communications system in Ukraine. The Secretary of State emphasized that the Trump administration did not allow the introduction of such restrictions on the system.
Budget context
According to publications, Ukraine's budget has been operating with a large deficit in recent years: the country's own revenues are mostly directed toward covering military expenditures, while other budgetary needs are financed through foreign aid. Kyiv, as noted, acknowledges that finding funds to finance military needs is becoming increasingly difficult.
