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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump wants to use a 60-day period to assess the effects of sanctions and customs tariffs targeting Russia. Trump has signed a decree suspending new sanctions on Moscow.

Speaking to reporters before a visit to Uzbekistan, Rubio said the measures also cover tariffs that could be applied to countries such as India that import Russian energy, and that time is needed to judge their economic impact.

Evaluating sanctions and tariffs

Rubio told reporters before traveling to Uzbekistan that the rules concerning the suspension of sanctions also include customs tariffs that could be applied to countries importing Russian energy sources, India among them. He said assessing the economic consequences of these steps requires time.

According to Rubio, Trump wants to use the 60-day window to weigh how the sanctions and tariffs affect the global economy and the U.S. economy. Trump has signed a decree providing for the suspension of new sanctions aimed at Russia.

Energy supply and Russian diesel

Rubio pointed to pressure on global energy supply from developments involving Iran, the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and strikes on energy infrastructure in the Russia-Ukraine war. These factors have affected global prices, he said.

India is trying to diversify its energy sources while continuing to buy oil from Russia, but changing supply sources in a short time is not easy, Rubio said, calling India an important ally and partner for the United States. Rubio also defended the regulations on Russian diesel, saying the fuel will reach the global market in any case and the basic difference is how much of it the U.S. will buy.

No U.S. order to slow Starlink in Ukraine

Addressing connection problems reported in the Starlink satellite network in Ukraine, Rubio said the U.S. administration did not give any instruction to reduce connection speeds. Starlink is a commercial system, while Starshield is a military system used by the U.S. Army, he said.

Rubio added that Ukraine has asked for access to Starshield to carry out strikes on targets in Russia, but does not currently have access to the system.

West Bank attack and hybrid threats

Rubio said images of an American journalist being attacked in the West Bank seriously disturbed the administration and that the United States has asked Israel to take precautions against such incidents. The full details of the event are not yet known, he said, adding that Trump does not want a new escalation or crisis in the West Bank.

Referring to assessments that hybrid attacks by Russia and Iran could increase, Rubio said the United States is concerned that the war in Ukraine could spread to other parts of Europe and to other places around the world.

Key takeaways

• Trump signed a decree suspending new sanctions on Russia and wants 60 days to judge the economic effects on the U.S. and global economies.
• The measures include tariffs that could apply to importers of Russian energy such as India, which Rubio described as an important U.S. ally and partner.
• Rubio said the U.S. did not order a reduction in Starlink speeds in Ukraine, and that Kyiv has no access to the Starshield military system.
• Washington asked Israel to act over the attack on an American journalist in the West Bank, and Rubio voiced concern that the Ukraine war could spread.