Blinken at UN: Ukrainians are not giving up, we are not giving up either

"Putin is betting that if he keeps doubling down on the violence, that if he is willing to inflict enough suffering on enough people, the world will cave on his principles and Ukraine will stop defending itself. But the Ukrainians are not giving up," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the UN Security Council, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to him, Ukrainians have already seen what life would look like if they submitted to Russian control.

"It’s that basement in Yahidne [Chernihiv region], it’s families having their children torn away from them and deported to Russia... It’s the rubble of Mariupol, it’s the mass graves in Bucha," Blinken emphasized.

In this context, he emphasized: "We are not giving up either."

The U.S. Secretary of State recalled that the President of Ukraine put forward a 10-point plan for a peaceful settlement, while Putin did not propose any peaceful steps.

"We must send a clear message not only to Russia but to all would-be aggressors that we will stand up, not stand by, when the rules we all agreed to are being challenged," Blinken said.

In this connection, he stressed the need for joint efforts not only to prevent conflict, instability and suffering, but also to lay the foundation to improve people's lives in times of peace.

As reported, the open debate of the UN Security Council on Ukraine takes place on Wednesday, in which President Volodymyr Zelensky participates.

Zelensky is visiting New York on September 18-20. The general debate of the UN General Assembly takes place on September 19-23.