Rubio influences Trump’s u-turn on sanctions on Russia

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
24 Oct 2025 19:37
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Marco Rubio reportedly influenced Donald Trump's decision to reimpose sanctions on Russia, citing Kremlin delays in Ukraine peace efforts.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the media after visiting the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel, Friday, October 24, 2025 (Fadel Senna/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly played a pivotal role in US President Donald Trump’s abrupt decision to proceed with new sanctions on Russia, according to a Bloomberg report published Friday, citing US and European officials familiar with the matter.

Rubio, a known critic of Moscow, conveyed to Trump that Russia had allegedly made no meaningful progress toward a peace agreement in Ukraine following his conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Officials cited in the Bloomberg report said Rubio canceled a planned face-to-face meeting with Lavrov after concluding, during a phone call, that the Kremlin was stalling on ceasefire discussions.

The White House has reportedly pushed back on suggestions that Rubio singlehandedly influenced Trump’s decision.

“President Trump always leads on foreign policy, and his agenda is executed by national security officials like Secretary Rubio and Special Envoy Witkoff, who are one, unified team behind the President’s America First vision,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement cited by the report.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the call between Rubio and Lavrov as “productive,” adding that Trump may still have an opportunity to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the cancellation of the Budapest summit.

New US sanctions target Russian oil giants

On Wednesday, the United States announced a new package of sanctions on Russia. The measures target major energy firms Rosneft and Lukoil, as well as dozens of affiliated subsidiaries.

The move comes amid a continued stalemate in negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded to the sanctions by saying they would have little effect, citing Moscow’s resilience in the face of repeated Western restrictions.

However, Zakharova noted that such measures send a “counterproductive signal,” particularly with regard to diplomatic efforts on the Ukraine settlement.