US Secretary of State: "Trump May Impose Additional Sanctions if He Believes Putin Is Not Interested in Negotiations"

At the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
"Trump Has Sanctions Option... We Want a Permanent End to the War"
"Syria's Transitional Government Could Collapse and Civil War May Break Out Within Weeks"

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that additional sanctions could be imposed if Russia does not engage properly in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State. Photo by AFP

On May 20 (local time), Secretary Rubio appeared before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and said, "If Russia is not interested in peace talks and wants to continue the war, we could move to additional sanctions." He added, "President Donald Trump has the option of sanctions. He has previously indicated that if he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in negotiations, he could implement them."

Secretary Rubio emphasized, "Not a single sanction imposed on Russia has been lifted. All sanctions imposed by the previous administration remain in place," and stated, "President Trump has not made a single concession to Russia." He continued, "There is no military solution to this crisis. It must end through a negotiated agreement," adding, "We want the war in Ukraine to end in a permanent way."

Regarding the Ukraine war and security in the Indo-Pacific region, Secretary Rubio remarked, "Without China, Russia could not sustain this situation," and added, "We are also well aware of the roles of North Korea and Iran." He further explained, "Another aspect of this issue is that the dollars we are spending on the war in Europe are diverting our focus and resources from what could be a more serious and destructive confrontation in the Indo-Pacific region."

Secretary Rubio did not give a direct answer regarding the issue of allocating additional budget for security support to Ukraine, saying, "That is a decision for the White House to make."

Concerning recent U.S. sanctions relief on diplomatic relations with Syria, Secretary Rubio said, "Our assessment is that within weeks, not months, the transitional government could potentially collapse and a large-scale, full-blown civil war could break out." He added, "When we engage with their issues, they may succeed, but they may also fail. However, if we had not engaged, they certainly would not have succeeded."

Regarding President Trump's decision to lift sanctions on Syria, he described it as "a bold decision," stating, "The President moved quickly with sanction-related measures because we have a plan." He continued, "The most immediate effect of lifting sanctions is that neighboring countries will begin supporting the transitional government, establish governance mechanisms so that the transitional government can actually build a government, and work to integrate armed groups."

Secretary Rubio stated, "We will implement sanction waivers, but since these are time-limited, they will not be sufficient to attract things like foreign investment." He added, "Ultimately, Congress or action at a more comprehensive level will be necessary." He emphasized, "The situation in Syria will have a profound impact on Lebanon as well. For example, if Syria and Lebanon stabilize in two years, there will be tremendous opportunities for peace and security in the entire region. This is a major challenge, but also a historic opportunity."

Meanwhile, regarding President Trump's proposal to relocate residents of the Gaza Strip to neighboring areas, Secretary Rubio said, "There will be no expulsions." He explained, "We have spoken with some countries to see if there are any willing to accept people if someone voluntarily wants to go elsewhere for a certain period." He added, "This is a voluntary decision by individuals," and clarified, "We have made preliminary inquiries with some countries about whether they would be willing to temporarily accept residents as a provisional measure for reconstruction, not as a permanent relocation."

In addition, Secretary Rubio responded to Democratic criticism that China is filling the void created by the reduction of U.S. humanitarian aid and expanding its influence, saying, "China does not provide humanitarian aid, and frankly, they do not know how to do it." He asserted, "What China does is predatory lending and debt traps."