U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Ukraine would not have survived as a country without American help, as he pushed back on reports that Washington had a hand in a slowdown of Starlink satellite service used by Ukrainian forces.
“If it were not for the assistance of the United States, including under the Trump administration, there would be no Ukraine right now,” Rubio told reporters in Mumbai, where he is on a three-day visit to India. “Ukraine as a sovereign state would not exist.”
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He said the United States was “no longer going to be defensive about this topic,” while adding that Ukrainian fighters had “absolutely very bravely” stood up to Russia, according to a Bloomberg report carried by Business Standard.
Rubio denies role in Starlink slowdown
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed officials, that SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk ordered a recent slowdown of the Starlink system that helps Ukraine defend against Russian air attacks.
Rubio rejected any suggestion that the administration was involved. “What I can tell you with certainty is the president of the United States, nor anyone in our system, ever requested that any changes to that system be made,” he said, according to Anadolu Agency, as published by A News.
“Starlink is a private company. They have a contract,” Rubio said, adding that Washington “cannot direct a private company as to the decisions they make.” He said Starshield, the military version of the service, was different because it is “something we are purchasing and using for our use.”
Trump said he did not know who was responsible but “would like to find out.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, “we haven’t pulled anything back.”
Peace talks move to Russia
The remarks came as U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff pushes ahead with talks on ending the war. After meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo on Tuesday, Witkoff flew to St. Petersburg for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, according to a Kremlin aide.
Zelenskyy, who said he raised intelligence sharing and access to Starlink with Witkoff, described the Oslo meeting favorably. “We’ve been very concrete, and the organization was very positive,” he said.
Rubio called the talks “a very difficult negotiation” focused on Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region. “Both sides will have to agree to give up on something,” he said.