U.S. seeks to provide Ukraine with what it needs to succeed – Blinken
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday, according to Ukrinform.
"I was in Kyiv a couple of weeks ago with President Zelenskyy. I heard parts of this plan, but he’s going to present the entire plan to President Biden when he sees him this week, and we’re awaiting that," the U.S. Secretary of State said when asked to comment on the U.S. position regarding the Victory Plan and Zelensky's calls to allow strikes deep into Russia.
In this context, Blinken emphasized that from the start of Russia's invasion, the U.S. has been committed to ensuring that "Ukraine had what it needed when it needed it to defend against Russian aggression." He noted that even before Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine had already received Stingers and Javelins, as the impending aggression was clear.
"That prevented the takeover of the country, the erasing of Ukraine from the map. The Ukrainians were able to repel the Russians, push them back. Every day since, we’ve been working to adapt and adjust depending on the battlefield needs, what does Ukraine need in any given moment," Blinken noted.
He also assured that the U.S. would continue to do so.
When asked whether Ukraine would ultimately receive permission to strike deep into Russia, the Secretary of State emphasized that the U.S. is "looking at how we can make sure that Ukraine is most effective in deterring and dealing with this Russian aggression." Blinken also noted that Ukrainians have extraordinary means at their disposal and are demonstrating resilience.
"We’re going to make sure that they have what they need to succeed," the U.S. Secretary of State stressed.
As reported by Ukrinform, the meeting between the President of Ukraine and the President of the U.S. is scheduled for Thursday, September 26, at the White House.
