Rubio stresses: Trump will choose the time and place when imposing sanctions on Russia
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed in an interview with Politico that the US is able to apply new sanctions against Russia at a convenient time for the administration and exactly when it considers it appropriate. He warned that hastily introducing restrictive measures without proper strategic justification could lead to the loss of the opportunity to conduct an effective dialogue with Moscow and jeopardize the prospects for a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. According to the official, the renewed sanctions could hinder the negotiation process, because Washington is aware that excessive haste risks closing the window for diplomacy with the Kremlin. “If we cut off all avenues and do it without agreements and due time, then we lose the opportunity to conduct a constructive dialogue,” he noted. At the same time, Rubio assured that US President Donald Trump has a “sense of the right moment” and will be able to determine the best time and place to impose any economic sanctions. The Secretary of State also informed that the Trump administration is working with Congress to maintain control and flexibility in making decisions on sanctions. In his opinion, the most optimal moment to impose them will come when, according to Washington’s estimates, the window for negotiations with Russia is closing. “By doing this too soon, we risk losing the opportunity to reach out to the Kremlin and contribute to reducing tensions,” Rubio pointed out. At the same time, he stressed that the United States is in no way abandoning diplomacy: “If there is an opportunity to force Russia to sit down at the negotiating table and make progress, we will use it.” According to him, Russian figures currently believe that they can achieve their territorial goals on the battlefield, which is completely unacceptable for Washington. “We are confident that maintaining administrative borders and gaining control over the occupied territories is not something that the Russians will be able to easily obtain,” Rubio said. Recall that on the eve of the high-profile diplomatic discussions, Rubio confirmed the Trump administration’s position on the impossibility of achieving a peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict by military means. At the same time, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga noted that Moscow understands only force and therefore called for new, even more destructive sanctions and increased investments in Ukraine’s defense to strengthen its positions in the long struggle for sovereignty and territorial integrity. Thus, the situation surrounding the US sanctions policy and the prospects for a further diplomatic settlement remain complex and dependent on many factors.