Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is dedicated to winning his country’s war against Russia and that the US will assist him in accomplishing that goal.
Austin told reporters in Poland the day after his three-hour face-to-face meeting with Zelensky in Ukraine, “He has the perspective that they want to win, and we have the mindset that we want to assist them to win.”
According to Austin, the character of the conflict in Ukraine has altered now that Russia has shifted its focus from the wooded northern regions to the Donbas’ eastern industrial core. Because the nature of the conflict has changed, Ukraine’s military requirements have changed as well, and Zelensky is now concentrating on more tanks, artillery, and other munitions.
“Believing that you can win is the first step toward winning,” Austin remarked. “We believe they can win if they get the necessary equipment and assistance, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that they get it.”
“We want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country able to safeguard its sovereign territory,” Austin said when asked what success means to the US. We want to see Russia degraded to the point that it can no longer carry out actions such as the invasion of Ukraine.”
Blinken and Austin’s visit to the capital was the highest-level American visit since Russia invaded in late February.
They informed Zelensky and his aides that the US would contribute over $300 million in foreign military financing and that a $165 million ammunition deal had been approved.
“We had the opportunity to directly convey our strong continuous support for the Ukrainian government and people,” Blinken said. “This, in our opinion, was an essential occasion to be there, to have detailed face-to-face dialogues.”
According to Blinken, their meeting with the Ukrainians lasted three hours and covered a wide range of topics, including what assistance the country requires in the coming weeks.
“The strategy we’ve implemented, which includes huge assistance for Ukraine, massive pressure on Russia, and solidarity with more than 30 countries involved in these efforts,” Blinken added. “Russia is failing to achieve its war objectives. Ukraine is making progress. Russia’s main goal has been to completely subdue Ukraine, take away its sovereignty, and assume control of the country.
President Joe Biden announced Bridget Brink’s nomination to be the United States ambassador to Ukraine on Monday, as predicted. Brink, a career foreign service officer, has been the ambassador to Slovakia since 2019. She formerly worked for the White House National Security Council in Serbia, Cyprus, Georgia, and Uzbekistan. The position requires Senate confirmation in the United States.
The news comes as American diplomats prepare to return to Ukraine next week, while the US embassy in Kyiv will stay closed for the time being.
Journalists that accompanied Austin and Blinken to Poland were prevented from reporting on the trip until it was completed, from accompanying them on their overland trek into Ukraine, and from stating where they met up with the Cabinet members upon their return to southeast Poland. Security concerns were raised by officials at the State Department and the Pentagon.
Austin and Blinken announced $713 million in foreign military financing for Ukraine and 15 allies and partners, with $322 million allocated to Kyiv. According to officials, the remaining funds would be distributed among NATO members and other countries that have supported Ukraine with crucial military equipment since the conflict with Russia began.
This funding is distinct from prior American military assistance to Ukraine. It is not a gift of depleted US Defense Department stocks, but rather cash that countries might use to buy goods they may require.
According to officials, the fresh funds, together with the sale of $165 million in non-US-made ammunition that is compatible with the Ukrainians’ Soviet-era weapons, bring the total amount of American military assistance to Ukraine to $3.7 billion since the invasion.
For the havoc and death imposed on Ukraine, Biden has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of genocide. Biden announced on Thursday that he would offer Ukraine a new $800 million military aid package that includes heavy artillery and drones.
Last month, Congress approved $6.5 billion in military aid as part of a $13.6 billion budget for Ukraine and its allies in reaction to Russia’s invasion.
Blinken will return to Washington from Poland, while Austin will travel to Ramstein, Germany, for a conference of NATO military ministers and other donor countries on Tuesday.
Officials said the debate will focus on battlefield reports from the ground, increased security support for Ukraine, and Europe’s longer-term defense priorities, particularly how to increase military production to cover gaps produced by the conflict in Ukraine. Representatives from more than 20 countries are slated to attend the meeting.
