Blinken on Russian shelling: Putin can extinguish fires throughout Ukraine, but he cannot extinguish Ukrainian spirit
Anthony Blinken emphasized that Moscow can extinguish the fires throughout Ukraine, but it cannot extinguish the Ukrainian spirit.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken emphasized that Russian strikes on Ukraine strengthen the determination of Ukrainians and Ukraine's partners. As the Voice of America writes, he said this during a joint press conference with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna during her visit to Washington, Censor.NET reports.
It is noted that during the meeting they discussed assistance to Ukraine in restoring the energy infrastructure destroyed by Russian shelling, providing Ukraine with weapons for defense and budgetary support.
According to the Secretary of State, the United States and Europe are united in joint actions to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine.
The recent shelling of Ukrainian cities by Iranian drones is intended to intimidate Ukrainians and "make the Ukrainian people suffer," but instead they are strengthening Ukrainians' resolve, Blinken said.
"In recent days, we have witnessed Moscow's large-scale strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Many of them were carried out with the help of drones supplied by Iran. These strikes have the clear purpose of making the Ukrainian people suffer. The damage they cause will make it difficult for Ukrainians to heat their homes, find safe drinking water, access to the electricity they need to run everything from stores to hospitals to public transportation," said the US secretary of state.
Blinken added: "President Putin believes that these attacks will somehow break their will. Instead, it only deepens their determination to defend their country. Moscow can put out the fires all over Ukraine, but it cannot put out the Ukrainian spirit. President Putin thought he could split the transatlantic alliance, instead it brought us closer together."
The question of helping Ukraine and getting rid of energy dependence on Russia was the focus of the negotiations between Blinken and Kolonna.
"The United States is working closely with France and other European allies to help make a decisive move away from dependence on Russian energy, which means developing more diverse, reliable, sustainable sources over the long term and helping our friends survive a high-cost winter," he said. Blinken.
The Secretary of State welcomed France's efforts to help Ukraine, particularly security assistance to Ukraine, "including President Macron's recent announcement of 100 million euros" to provide arms to Kyiv.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France spoke about the efforts of their government to help Ukraine.
"President Macron recently promised President Zelensky that we will increase our military aid, including new equipment, and you probably know that we are supplying ammunition for artillery rockets, as well as new light tanks, we have also decided to train at least 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers in France, and we are developing cooperation in the field of intelligence, which will also strengthen and go further," Colonna said.
She also promised humanitarian aid and help in the reconstruction of infrastructure, in connection with the approach of winter.
