Rubio exposes China’s sneaky support for Russia in Ukraine war

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended his recent overhaul of the State Department, emphasizing efficiency and action in an interview with Fox News’ Lara Trump on July 21, 2025.

Rubio also underscored President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to ending global conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, while addressing challenges posed by China, Russia, and Iran.

Rubio detailed the restructuring of the State Department, which involved eliminating redundant bureaus and reducing staff by approximately 1,300 out of tens of thousands.

“We’ve reorganized the boxes in our org chart in terms of how the State Department functions,” he said.

“It was an effort to reorganize. It took too long to get things done. We had too many bureaus, too many offices.”

He dismissed claims of gutting diplomacy as “really silly,” noting that excessive layers of approval, sometimes involving “30 or 40 people” delayed critical decisions.

“We can’t wait six weeks, six months, to do things. It renders us irrelevant, especially in a world that moves so fast,” Rubio added.

On U.S. foreign policy, Rubio highlighted President Trump’s focus on peace, particularly in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

“Everybody should be very happy that the American president is focused on peace,” he stated, noting Trump’s frustration with stalled talks despite “very good interactions with Vladimir Putin.”

Rubio explained that Trump’s 50-day ultimatum for Russia to strike a peace deal or face 100 percent tariffs reflects growing impatience.

“He’s losing his willingness to continue to wait for the Russian side to do something here to bring an end to this war that wasn’t his war,” Rubio said, citing over 100,000 Russian casualties since January 2025.

Addressing concerns about a potential Russia-China-Iran alliance, Rubio revealed China’s covert support for Russia, particularly through oil purchases.

“There is no way that Putin could have sustained this war without Chinese support,” he said, adding that China benefits from prolonging the conflict to distract the U.S.

He also noted China’s purchase of sanctioned Iranian oil but highlighted a shift in global dynamics after a U.S. B-2 operation reminded adversaries of America’s military strength.

“A lot of people had forgotten that. President Trump reminded them,” Rubio stated.

Rubio acknowledged the necessity of U.S.-China relations despite trade imbalances.

“For 30 years the Chinese have basically carried out this economic scheme, they could sell anything they want into the United States but the Chinese market is completely closed,” he said, echoing Trump’s long-standing call to rebalance trade.

Still, he emphasized the need for dialogue to avoid misunderstandings, stating, “We have to have relations with them. We want to have respectful relations with them.”

On a recent three-country prisoner swap involving the U.S., El Salvador, and Venezuela, Rubio explained how the Trump administration avoided concessions.

Unlike past deals under President Biden, which involved releasing convicted drug dealers, Trump refused Venezuela’s demands.

“Maduro desperately wants us to take that indictment off of him. He’s not going to get that,” Rubio said, referring to Maduro’s drug trafficking indictment.

The swap saw 250 members of the Tren de Aragua gang returned to Venezuela without U.S. concessions.

Regarding the Gaza hostage situation, Rubio expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations led by Steve Witkoff.

“Every American is out now. Release all the hostages, lay down your arms, and the war ends for Hamas,” he said, noting progress toward a ceasefire that could see half the hostages, including deceased, released within 60 days.

Reflecting on his personal journey, Rubio credited his Cuban immigrant parents for instilling an “unyielding belief” in opportunity.

“The one thing I did inherit from my parents was this unyielding belief that we weren’t limited because of who they were,” he said, describing their legacy as a testament to America’s promise.

Rubio also highlighted the role of faith in grounding his work, stating, “You rely on your faith more than anything else to ground you, there’s something more important.”