Ukraine is on its way to being able to “stand on its own feet” militarily, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday, noting that more than 20 other countries have pledged to maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the U.S. were to withdraw its support under a different president. Blinken for the first time directly addressed the possibility that former President Donald Trump could win the November election and back away from commitments to Ukraine. The U.S., under President Joe Biden, has been the most important supporter of Ukraine’s more than two-year battle against invading Russian forces. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday he had spoken on the phone with Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky, as he pledged to end the country’s war with Russia.
Quick Read
- Blinken Assures Continued Support for Ukraine Despite Potential U.S. Policy Changes
- Wider Pledges: Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted that over 20 countries have committed to supporting Ukraine militarily and financially, even if U.S. support were to diminish under a future administration.
- Potential Trump Presidency: Blinken addressed concerns about former President Donald Trump’s possible return to office and his varied stance on U.S. support for Ukraine. Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, has been critical of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
- Bipartisan Support: Blinken emphasized that strong bipartisan backing in Congress for Ukraine would likely influence any new administration’s policy decisions regarding the conflict with Russia.
- Security Agreements: He noted recent security agreements signed by the U.S. and over 20 other allies, including NATO partners, Japan, and the EU, to support Ukraine’s defense.
- Ukraine’s Independence: Blinken expressed confidence that Ukraine is on a path to become self-sufficient militarily, economically, and democratically, regardless of future U.S. involvement.
The Associated Press has the story:
Blinken points to wider pledges to support Ukraine if Trump wins. Trump spoke with Zelenskyy
Newslooks- ASPEN, Colo. (AP) —
Ukraine is on its way to being able to “stand on its own feet” militarily, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday, noting that more than 20 other countries have pledged to maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the U.S. were to withdraw its support under a different president.
Blinken for the first time directly addressed the possibility that former President Donald Trump could win the November election and back away from commitments to Ukraine. The U.S., under President Joe Biden, has been the most important supporter of Ukraine’s more than two-year battle against invading Russian forces.
Trump’s public comments have varied between criticizing U.S. backing for Ukraine’s defense and supporting it, while his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, has been a leader of Republican efforts to block what have been billions in U.S. military and financial assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in 2022.
Concerns among Ukraine and its supporters that the country could lose vital U.S. support have increased as Trump’s campaign surges and Biden’s falters.
Blinken said Friday that any new administration would have to take into account strong bipartisan backing in Congress for Ukraine in the interests of countering Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to expand Moscow’s territory and influence. “Every administration has an opportunity, of course, to set its own policy. We can’t lock in the future,” Blinken said, speaking to an audience of U.S. policymakers and others at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.
But he pointed to the security agreements that the United States and more than 20 other allies — including some NATO partners, Japan and the European Union — signed at a NATO summit in Washington this month. “Were we to renege on that … I suppose that’s possible, but happily we’ve got another 20 some-odd countries that are doing the same thing,” Blinken said.
Ukraine itself was on a trajectory to ensure it “stands on its own feet militarily, economically, democratically,” Blinken said.
Trump Says Spoke With Zelensky, Pledges To ‘End The War’
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday he had spoken on the phone with Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky, as he pledged to end the country’s war with Russia.
“I appreciate President Zelensky for reaching out because I, as your next President of the United States, will bring peace to the world and end the war that has cost so many lives and devastated countless innocent families,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
