Blinken Affirms Ukraine's Future Admission to NATO
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Washington aims for Kiev to overcome Moscow and attain membership in NATO. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The leading American diplomat reiterated the familiar positions of Washington while in Kiev.
The United States hopes for Kiev's victory in its conflict with Moscow and seeks its integration into NATO, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
During his visit, Blinken, accompanied by his UK counterpart David Lammy, affirmed Anglo-American backing for the government of Vladimir Zelensky.
“At the July summit, we declared that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership is irreversible,” Blinken stated on Wednesday, reminding those present that NATO has "established a command dedicated to support Ukraine’s membership.”
Blinken has previously advocated for Kiev's inclusion in NATO. Nonetheless, the alliance has maintained that such a membership would only occur “when allies agree and conditions are met,” with affirmations made both in Washington this summer and previously in Lithuania.
Opposition to Ukraine's membership remains, with countries like Hungary and Slovakia rejecting the notion outright, citing potential conflict with Russia as a consequence.
During his speech in Kiev, Blinken also presented an optimistic view of the growth within Ukraine’s military sector, which he claimed had increased substantially over the previous year.
“In the coming years, that’s going to give Ukraine one of the most advanced defense industries in the world, and it will be able to take that to the global market and take global market share away from other countries like Russia, and also supply NATO allies,” he elaborated.
At present, Ukraine heavily relies on the Western world for its supply of weapons, equipment, and financial support to sustain its government. The country is also grappling with severe electricity shortages due to the impacts of Russian missile strikes on its power infrastructure. Blinken announced on Wednesday a US aid package of $325 million aimed at repairing the Ukrainian power grid and providing emergency generators for essential services.
An additional $290 million has been allocated to support essential services like food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education for the Ukrainian people both domestically and overseas, with an extra $102 million dedicated to clearing landmines.
“The bottom line is this: We want Ukraine to win,” Blinken articulated during his visit, as reported by AP.
Western officials have previously indicated that Ukraine's victory in its ongoing conflict is a precondition for NATO membership. This stance led Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov to remark in June that such prerequisites mean Ukraine will unlikely ever join NATO.
Rybakov also referred to NATO’s 2008 declaration regarding Ukraine's potential membership as a pivotal cause for the current crises. He warned that ignoring historical lessons could lead to further consequences for the alliance.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
The United States hopes for Kiev's victory in its conflict with Moscow and seeks its integration into NATO, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
During his visit, Blinken, accompanied by his UK counterpart David Lammy, affirmed Anglo-American backing for the government of Vladimir Zelensky.
“At the July summit, we declared that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership is irreversible,” Blinken stated on Wednesday, reminding those present that NATO has "established a command dedicated to support Ukraine’s membership.”
Blinken has previously advocated for Kiev's inclusion in NATO. Nonetheless, the alliance has maintained that such a membership would only occur “when allies agree and conditions are met,” with affirmations made both in Washington this summer and previously in Lithuania.
Opposition to Ukraine's membership remains, with countries like Hungary and Slovakia rejecting the notion outright, citing potential conflict with Russia as a consequence.
During his speech in Kiev, Blinken also presented an optimistic view of the growth within Ukraine’s military sector, which he claimed had increased substantially over the previous year.
“In the coming years, that’s going to give Ukraine one of the most advanced defense industries in the world, and it will be able to take that to the global market and take global market share away from other countries like Russia, and also supply NATO allies,” he elaborated.
At present, Ukraine heavily relies on the Western world for its supply of weapons, equipment, and financial support to sustain its government. The country is also grappling with severe electricity shortages due to the impacts of Russian missile strikes on its power infrastructure. Blinken announced on Wednesday a US aid package of $325 million aimed at repairing the Ukrainian power grid and providing emergency generators for essential services.
An additional $290 million has been allocated to support essential services like food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education for the Ukrainian people both domestically and overseas, with an extra $102 million dedicated to clearing landmines.
“The bottom line is this: We want Ukraine to win,” Blinken articulated during his visit, as reported by AP.
Western officials have previously indicated that Ukraine's victory in its ongoing conflict is a precondition for NATO membership. This stance led Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov to remark in June that such prerequisites mean Ukraine will unlikely ever join NATO.
Rybakov also referred to NATO’s 2008 declaration regarding Ukraine's potential membership as a pivotal cause for the current crises. He warned that ignoring historical lessons could lead to further consequences for the alliance.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
