14:14 09.09.2022

Blinken in Brussels to inform NATO allies, partners about results of his visit to Kyiv

3 min read
Blinken in Brussels to inform NATO allies, partners about results of his visit to Kyiv

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will inform NATO allies and partners in Brussels about the results of his visit to Kyiv.

He told reporters about this on his way to Brussels, according to the text of the message distributed by the State Department on Friday.

According to Blinken, his visit to Ukraine “in many ways was meaningful because it took place coincident with the beginnings of this counteroffensive that Ukraine is engaged in to liberate the land that has been seized by Russian forces as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.”

“We had a chance yesterday to hear directly from President Zelensky and his team about the state of their efforts in this counteroffensive, and I had an opportunity to share with him and his team additional significant assistance that the United States is providing both in the near term and longer term on the security side – an additional $2.8 billion. This assistance combined with the extraordinary courage and resilience of Ukrainian forces and the Ukrainian people has been the recipe for success thus far in the Ukrainians pushing the Russians back, and now engaging in this counteroffensive,” the State Secretary told the journalists.

In addition, he told President Zelensky “on behalf of President Biden and the American people” that “we have been with Ukraine.”

“We’re with Ukraine today. We will be with Ukraine tomorrow and for however long it takes to deal with Russia’s aggression. And I come away, again, very confident in Ukraine’s future because the Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland. It’s their homeland, not Russia’s,” Blinken stressed.

Speaking about the upcoming visit to Brussels, the Secretary of State noted that he will have an opportunity in Brussels “to debrief NATO Allies, other partners, on what I learned in Ukraine and to work with them on a number of issues that are of concern to everyone, starting with the situation in and around Zaporizhia, where Russia has seized as part of its aggression a nuclear facility, and that’s of real concern to many of us; making sure that food which needs to get out of Ukraine after it’s been blocked by Russia – make sure the agreement that was reached continues; support for Ukraine, not just security support but economic support and humanitarian support; thinking about longer-term reconstruction needs – all of this is going to be part of the agenda in Brussels,” Blinken said.

“But finally, the most important reason I think we’re in Brussels is because what has worked so well for us thus far has been our unity – unity of purpose, unity of action. When it comes to helping Ukraine defend itself, when it comes to making sure that there’s significant pressure on Russia to end this aggression, when it comes to making sure our own Alliance is as strong and resolute as it can be to deter any additional Russian aggression, I think you’ll see that unity in action, once again. And I’m confident that based on every conversation I’ve had, every engagement I’ve had, it’s going to continue,” the U.S. Secretary of State added.

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