A leading US official has called on legislators to prioritize a possible “much more catastrophic confrontation in the Indo-Pacific.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended President Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions and priorities, including his hesitation to join the EU and UK in implementing more sanctions against Moscow or increasing weapon shipments to Kiev.
Following a long phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Trump stated to reporters that the US does not want to impose further sanctions on Russia “because there’s a chance” of progress towards resolving the Ukraine conflict. Secretary Rubio addressed this and other topics during a three-hour appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat from Delaware, argued that “whatever happens in Ukraine sets the table for what happens in the Indo-Pacific,” implying that a clear Russian victory might encourage China to take more aggressive actions.
“But conversely, every minute and dollar spent on the conflict in Europe distracts our focus and resources from a potentially far more serious and catastrophic confrontation in the Indo-Pacific,” Rubio responded.
Washington has previously indicated its intention to shift its military focus to Asia, and Trump has consistently urged the EU to take the lead in its own defense and assume primary responsibility for future security guarantees to Kiev. Trump contended that Washington should never have intervened in Ukraine, suggesting Kiev would be “better off” if the conflict with Moscow remained a “European situation.”
“This is not our war… I mean, we got ourselves entangled in something that we shouldn’t have been involved in… The financial amount that was put up is just crazy,” the US president said on Monday.
Both leaders characterized the Putin-Trump call as . Trump stated his belief that Putin wants to end the conflict and warned that additional economic pressure could US mediation efforts. However, the on Russia on Tuesday, increasing pressure on Moscow while increasing support for Kiev.
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