U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that his visit to Ukraine is to affirm American commitment to its security and sovereignty, emphasizing that the United States will not allow violations of countries' sovereignty without facing consequences. In a press conference, Blinken expressed hope for maintaining a diplomatic path but noted that the decision lies with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Blinken arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday to express Washington's support for Kyiv. His visit comes amid concerns raised by Ukraine and its Western allies over the gathering of tens of thousands of Russian soldiers inside and near Ukraine. The U.S. Secretary of State aims to de-escalate the crisis with Moscow concerning Ukraine.
Blinken's arrival in Kyiv was followed by a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky, after which he will travel to Berlin for discussions with allied officials, and then meet with Lavrov in Geneva on Friday. Blinken's hastily arranged tour aims to demonstrate U.S. support for Ukraine and to persuade Russia of the need to halt escalation.
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki emphasized the urgent necessity to de-escalate tensions, stating, "We are now at a stage that could see Russia attack Ukraine at any moment. What Secretary Blinken will do is clearly affirm that there is a diplomatic path forward." Psaki noted that President Putin caused the crisis by amassing 100,000 troops along the border with Ukraine, adding, "It is up to him and the Russians to decide whether to invade, and then face severe economic consequences."
The United States has not concluded whether Putin is planning an invasion or is merely demonstrating military power to pressure for security concessions without actual conflict. Russia has ignored calls to withdraw its forces and stated it has the right to deploy troops anywhere on its territory.
Blinken's meetings follow inconclusive diplomatic talks between Moscow and the West in Europe last week, which failed to resolve significant disputes regarding Ukraine and other security issues. A senior U.S. State Department official said on Tuesday: "The United States does not want conflict. We want peace." The official added to reporters, "President Vladimir Putin can take steps to de-escalate this crisis so that the United States and Russia can build a relationship that is not based on hostility or crisis."
Ukraine is preparing for a potential new attack from Russia while pressing for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. Russia denies planning any new military offensive. It is noted that President Putin's plans remain unclear, and U.S. officials still do not know what to expect or if Putin has made a decision to invade Ukraine. However, some U.S. officials who have seen intelligence suggest there is evidence that Russia plans to try to seize the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and overthrow the government according to CNN. U.S. sources consider the deployment of troops from Russia's Eastern Military District to Belarus on Monday to be ominous, as are the series of cyberattacks targeting Ukraine last week.
