US secretary of state reiterates Trump's limited patience on Russia sanctions
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called the process of resolving the war in Ukraine one of the most difficult challenges and reiterated that President Donald Trump's patience is not unlimited, adding that Trump has "the opportunity and the options" to impose sanctions on Russia.
Source: Rubio during a UN Security Council meeting, as reported by Ukrinform news agency
Quote: "The one that's proved to be an extraordinary challenge has been the war in Ukraine, between Russia and Ukraine."
Details: Rubio noted that Trump and his team have "worked on it tirelessly", spending a huge amount of their own time and energy. He emphasised that the war cannot be ended by military means.
Quote: "It will end at a negotiating table. That's where this war will end. But the longer it lasts, the more people will die, the more will be destroyed."
Details: Rubio believes the US president "has shown extraordinary patience in terms of not assessing additional sanctions [against Russia] in the hopes of having a breakthrough". However, he added that the current situation is heading towards deeper escalation, with a record number of strikes compared to before.
Quote: "And now we are also watching incursions into neighbouring airspace by both drones and aeroplanes [belonging to Russia]."
Details: Rubio once again stressed that the US president is committed to peace, but his patience is not limitless.
Quote: "He has before him the opportunity and the options of imposing additional economic costs on the Russian Federation, if necessary, in order to bring this to an end."
Details: Rubio added that Trump has all the resources to supply "defensive weaponry, and potentially offensive weaponry, so that Ukraine can defend itself from this assault". He also emphasised that the United States remains committed to a peaceful resolution.
Quote: "But there will come a moment in which we will have to conclude that perhaps there is no interest in a peaceful resolution [from the Russian side], and then the President has before him real options, which he intends to pursue, as he has made clear today in some of the messages he has put out."
Details: Rubio called on UN member states to do everything possible to help end Russia's war against Ukraine.
Background:
- At the end of July, Rubio stated that Trump was losing patience and willingness to continue waiting for steps from the Russian side that would lead to an end to the war in Ukraine.
- The US Department of State stated that the Kremlin had misinterpreted Trump’s patience, but the "time for misinterpretation is now over".
- In early September, Trump again stated that his patience with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is "running out".
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