Ukraine strikes, Western sanctions hurting Russian economy: Rubio

Washington: Ukrainian strikes inside Russia, combined with Western sanctions, are having an impact on the Russian economy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, as Washington and Kyiv negotiate arrangements that could help Ukraine produce sophisticated missile-defence systems.

Rubio made the comments in an interview on Wednesday (local time) while discussing Russia’s support for Iran and the continuing war in Ukraine.

Russia, he said, had its “own set of problems” consuming President Vladimir Putin’s attention.

“Russia’s got, and Putin’s got his own set of problems that I think take up the majority of his time and focus, which is the war in — with Ukraine, and frankly the impacts that these Ukrainian strikes are having on the Russian economy in combination with sanctions,” Rubio said.

The Secretary of State did not provide figures on the economic damage or identify specific Ukrainian strikes.

His remarks came as Ukraine has increasingly sought to use long-range drones and other weapons to strike military and energy-related targets inside Russia, while the United States and its allies continue to use sanctions to pressure Moscow.

Rubio also addressed Ukraine’s continuing demand for more Patriot air-defence systems and interceptors.

“The whole world is asking for more air interceptors. It’s become the number-one defence need on the planet – not just for Ukraine, but on the planet,” he said.

Rubio said the United States had its own defence requirements and must ensure that American stockpiles remain sufficient before providing weapons to other countries.

“We have minimum requirements of our own, and those always have to be met before we can provide others,” he said.

The United States, he added, would continue assisting Ukraine “within the limits of our own availability and capability.”

Asked whether Washington opposed giving Ukraine licences to manufacture missile-defence systems itself, Rubio disclosed that negotiations were under way.

“Well, that’s being negotiated as we speak,” he said.

Rubio cautioned, however, that such an arrangement would not immediately address Ukraine’s shortage of air-defence weapons.

“Ramping up production, even if you have a license, is something that takes multiple years to build these factories,” he said.

“These are highly sophisticated weaponry. So that’s being negotiated now. That may come to fruition, but it really won’t solve the short-term challenge that they’re pointing to.”

Rubio also said Washington was discussing possible cooperation with Ukraine involving drone technology.

“If there’s a deal that makes sense for the United States, I think we’re pursuing those, and we’re negotiating those, and those are all a work in progress,” he said.

He said he had no announcement to make but added that Washington remained interested in partnerships that could strengthen US defences.

Separately, Rubio played down speculation surrounding CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s recent visit to Russia.

He rejected reports suggesting the trip was linked to a possible trilateral meeting involving President Donald Trump, Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying he did not know where such reports originated.

“That trip was primarily a routine one. It is not unprecedented,” Rubio said.

He said the United States must maintain channels of communication with Russia despite profound geopolitical differences, including contacts between the two countries’ intelligence establishments.

“His visit there was largely routine in that sense of just establishing and continuing to build these intel-to-intel communication channels,” Rubio said, adding that such contacts could prove useful during a crisis or conflict.

IANS