U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured NATO on Wednesday that the Biden administration would bolster its support for Ukraine in the few months before Donald Trump's return as president and would try to strengthen the alliance in that time.
Meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Brussels, Blinken also said the deployment of North Korean troops to help Russia in the Ukraine war "demands and will get a firm response".
President-elect Trump, who has questioned U.S. military support for Ukraine, says he will quickly end Russia's war without saying how, raising concern among U.S. allies he could try to force Kyiv to accept peace on Moscow's terms. Biden leaves office on Jan. 20.
Blinken said after meeting Rutte at the alliance’s headquarters that they had discussed ongoing support for Ukraine, where Russian forces have been making gains on the eastern front lines, and the work NATO must do strengthen its defence industrial base.
The outgoing U.S. administration would "continue to shore up everything we're doing for Ukraine" to ensure it can fight effectively next year or negotiate peace with Russia from a position of strength, he said.
Biden will "use every day to continue to do what we have done these last four years, which is strengthen this alliance," Blinken said, adding that Biden officials were working to deliver all the aid approved by the U.S. Congress for Ukraine before leaving office.
Meeting Blinken in Brussels, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the war was at a critical moment and called for "strength" rather than "appeasement" toward Russia.
"Ukraine’s defence cannot be put on hold and wait... We need to speed up all critical decisions," he said.
Speaking about the deployment of North Korean troops to support Russia, Blinken told reporters Moscow's relationship with Pyongyang was a "two-way street," and there was "deep concern about what Russia is or may be doing to strengthen North Korea's capacity" including its nuclear capacity.
Blinken was also meeting NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli, top EU officials and British foreign secretary David Lammy in Brussels on Wednesday.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
24 Comments
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falseflagsteve
It’s over, enough already. Save lives and make a peace deal. The usual culprits are making serious money from prolonging this conflict and their interest are solely selfish, they care not a jot about the death and destruction.
Primusinter
Is there really anyone here who doubts that Ukraine is still capable of acting from a position of strength??? Everyone believes that new guns will be delivered to Zel and Russia will run away from the battlefield all the way to the Urals :) Two weaklings: one is a margarine merchant, and the second is a descendant of a refugee from Russia with a funny surname meaning "little pancake".... What can they solve seriously? Moreover, one of them cannot even connect two words in a coherent sentence. The article is even funnier than those written by Ilya Novikov.
JJE
Denialism. They don't want to or can't admit their proxy war is lost and the regime they propped up since 2014 is going down the gurgler.
Moscow has a long memory and well remembers the crimes like Odessa, which can accurately be described as state terrorism, and will not let the offending regime off the hook.
Primusinter
Meanwhile, both Ukrainian and Russian telegram channels reported that the Russians had broken into Kupyansk. Ukrainians are trying to oust them, but it doesn't work...This is unlikely to strengthen the position of power. There are no official reports yet.
Primusinter
And again, talks about the North Koreans. So far, no one has been able to show a single NK military. I wonder if pro-american supporters still believe in them?
JJE
NK special forces are the current Atlanticist's WMDs. Blinken will be out the door soon and then the lecture circuit, but he can still do some damage in the remaining time he has. If he has created this much chaos in the world, he may as well and do a bit more warmongering.
dobre vam zajebava
yes and Ukraine still "prevails"...
ok1514 where did you go?
Primusinter
Meanwhile, last night, Russian drones, strictly following the coordinates laid down, hit the target — the Banknote Mint of the National Bank of Ukraine in Kiev, where all Ukrainian banknotes were printed. This institution included not only production facilities, but also warehouses with ready-made bundles of hryvnia. Now all that's left of it are the burnt-out remnants of equipment and ashes. Two workshops where Ukrainian money was previously printed were destroyed. The blow disabled the equipment for issuing banknotes, which may negatively affect the stability of money turnover in the context of economic problems in Ukraine.
deanzaZZR
Worst SoS in my lifetime. Sayonara, Pal.
dobre vam zajebava
read between lines.
UA is gone.
will be betrayed by west as same as Czechoslovakia in 1938.
nothing new under sun...
TaiwanIsNotChina
It's a good idea. More will be coming when Trump splits with Putin but in the mean time Ukraine must have enough to tide it over.
TaiwanIsNotChina
So you admit it is the same people doing the conquering?
isabelle
Putin will be betrayed by Xi like Stalin was by Hitler in 1941.
I hope Russia isn't too attached to its Far East, as Xi will be coming for it soon enough.
https://cepa.org/article/goodbye-vladivostok-hello-haishenwai/
deanzaZZR
Weak sauce. I live in a state labeled 加州 on a Chinese map near a city labeled 舊金山. It is how the Chinese language works. The Chinese language does not have a syllabary like katakana. Consider taking a few lessons to broaden your mind.
Burgerland
So you admit it is the same people doing the conquering?"
It is clear the poster means ' the same people " will be doing the betraying.
Fos
I agree, worse US Secretary of State in many decades, and he is still around for the military-industrial complex.
Zaphod
He tries to Trump-proof his proxy war. I doubt it will work. And without American financing, this project will collapse. The clown car of woke EU politicians can not carry that war on their own.
TaiwanIsNotChina
The "betrayer" ended up being on the right side of history both times. Not so much for the conquerors.
TaiwanIsNotChina
It's just a precautionary measure. Trump has alienated all of the members of BRICSI+ and outlived his usefulness. He will be returning America to the fight once the umbilicus with Putin is cut.
Even in the worst case scenario, Putin's war will likely enter a phase where sweets can be delivered to the russian without missiles or even artillery shells.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Say what you will about Blinken, he still has some depth to his voice compared to Marco Rubio.
Fos
USA will be politically isolated because of Trump, Rubio will not even be part of the equation. The warmongering will subside, and the world as a whole is going to be a more peaceful place, especially Asia.
Lord Dartmouth
Meaningless gestures from Blinken. The war will be over.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Dump-Putin will have to figure out that lockbox of the Ukraine war first. Instead there has never been a more pro-Israel administration than Dump's.
Fos
Blinken is trying to guarantee there are enough orders for the American weapons corporations until January, before retiring after an illustrious career, achieving great results. For sure we have a better situation now in Ukraine and Middle East thanks to the US Secretary of State :)