Rubio says Ukraine would not exist today without US aid, Zelensky reports 'positive' call
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists that Ukraine would not exist as a sovereign state today without billions of dollars in US aid provided under both the Biden and Trump administrations, while praising Ukrainian soldiers' defense against a "much larger country." The same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a "positive" phone conversation with Rubio covering security guarantees, intelligence sharing, Starlink and Starshield access, and delays in Patriot interceptors.
Key points
- Rubio said Ukraine would not exist today without US aid, spanning the Biden and current administrations.
- Rubio stated no other country has done as much to help Ukraine as the United States.
- Rubio praised Ukrainian soldiers for bravely defending against a "much larger country" with US assistance.
- Rubio made the remarks in response to journalists on October 20.
- Zelensky described his October 20 phone call with Rubio as "positive" and announced another would follow.
- According to Zelensky, the October 20 discussions covered security guarantees, intelligence, communications, Starlink/Starshield access, and Patriot interceptor delays.
- Zelensky said the system for transmitting US intelligence to Ukraine has already begun operating.
Why it matters
Rubio's statement reasserts Washington's view of the scale of US support for Ukraine and frames that backing as a continuous policy spanning two administrations, while Zelensky's account of the same day's call underscores that practical cooperation — intelligence sharing, communications, Starlink access, and Patriot interceptors — remains active even amid reported restrictions and political friction over assistance.
What happened
On October 20, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told journalists that Ukraine would not exist today as a sovereign state without billions of dollars in US aid, which he said began under the Biden administration and has continued under the current (Trump) administration. He said no other country in the world has done as much to help Ukraine as the United States and praised Ukrainian soldiers for bravely defending against a "much larger country," saying they achieve incredible things with US assistance. The same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a phone conversation with Rubio that he described as "positive" and announced another call would follow. According to Zelensky, the conversation covered intelligence data, communications, Ukraine's access to Starlink and Starshield systems, and delays in Patriot interceptors, and he said the system for transmitting US intelligence to Ukraine has already started working. Rubio also addressed a WSJ report that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk personally ordered restrictions on Starlink service for Ukraine and may have discussed it with President Trump, saying he did not know whether Trump was aware and that the US cannot control a private company's operations, while adding that the US would "no longer take a defensive position" on the issue.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage foregrounds Rubio's claim that Ukraine's existence as a state depends on US support and notes Zelensky's description of an October 20 call as "positive." The reports also air Ukrainian officials' concerns about restricted US assistance and recall Zelensky's earlier statement that Ukraine could preserve an independent state even without US aid, while flagging expected difficulties in compelling Vladimir Putin to peace.
How international sources describe it
International coverage emphasizes Rubio's assessment of the indispensable nature of US assistance, with one English-language agency headline framing his statement as crediting both US aid and the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers for Ukraine's survival.
Where reporting differs
Rubio said Ukraine would not exist today without US aid, while Zelensky previously said Ukraine would maintain an independent state even if US assistance stopped, though he warned of problems compelling Vladimir Putin to peace in that scenario.
Background
Rubio's remarks come against the backdrop of reported restrictions on US assistance to Ukraine, including allegations that Elon Musk ordered limits on Starlink service, and Ukrainian complaints about delays in Patriot interceptor deliveries and lapses in early-warning intelligence on Russian ballistic strikes. Zelensky has previously said Ukrainians will preserve an independent state even without US aid but has acknowledged that doing so would make it harder to force Putin to the table.