“A success of this counter-offensive can do two things: strengthen (Ukraine’s) position at the negotiating table and have the effect of finally getting Putin to negotiate an end to this war he started.”defended Blinken during a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart, Antonio Tajani.
“In that sense, it could bring peace closer, not push it away,” the chief of US diplomacy added.
Blinken said he was confident Ukrainian forces would succeed as Kiev announced in recent days the recapture of four sites in the eastern Donetsk region – the first territorial gains since the start of this counter-offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted on Saturday that his army was carrying out “counter-offensive actions”, although he did not provide further details.
On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin had assured Ukraine that the Ukrainian counter-offensive, which had been expected for months, had begun, adding that Kiev’s forces “failed to achieve their objectives”.
However, according to Blinken, any peace “will have to be sustainable, that is, a peace that will not let Russia rearm in its positions and attack again six months, a year or two years later.”
The US Secretary of State said he expected NATO to provide “robust political and practical support” at the Atlantic Alliance summit in Vilnius in July.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has so far led to the flight of more than 14.7 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 8.2 million to European countries – according to the latest data from the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russian security – was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and Russia political and economic sanctions.
Source: DN
