U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that America entering into a direct confrontation with Russia does not serve Ukraine, indicating that the deployment of U.S. fighters over Kyiv would mean a direct engagement with the Russians. In a joint press conference with his British counterpart, Liz Truss, he stated, "We are united in boosting our military support for Kyiv," noting that the United States is coordinating with Britain regarding Russia's unjustified war in Ukraine.
He added, "We appreciate the assistance that Britain has provided to Ukraine, including lethal weapons," pointing out that the decision to send military equipment to Ukraine is up to each individual country. Blinken also affirmed that Russia attacked Kyiv without justification and continues to bomb civilians, emphasizing efforts to provide everything necessary to help Ukraine defend itself. He remarked, "It is shameful to ask Ukrainians to turn to the state that attacked them," stressing the importance of the international community continuing to pressure Russia. He added, "We are confident that Moscow will face a strategic defeat."
On her part, Liz Truss stated that Russia's war in Ukraine has caused significant suffering to the people, adding that "Vladimir Putin was taken aback by our unity and the sanctions imposed." She continued, "We must ensure Putin’s failure is inevitable," asserting that not stopping the Kremlin leader in Kyiv would mean consequences in Europe. She further added, "We must continue to provide defensive weapons to Ukraine," confirming that her country will provide air defense weapons to Ukraine.
Moscow launched its military operation on Ukrainian territory on February 24, amid unprecedented security alerts in Europe, reminiscent of World War II, as warned by several European officials recently. These Russian attacks were followed by extensive sanctions against Moscow, totaling over 500 penalties, and positioned the country among the most sanctioned states, following Iran and North Korea. Additionally, it triggered NATO member states to heighten readiness and send significant military and financial aid to Kyiv to counter Russian operations.
