Blinken Assesses Ukraine's Prospects for Recovering Territory
Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that Ukraine is unlikely to reclaim territories from Russia in the near future. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Kiev will continue to assert its claims to lost territory regardless of the circumstances, as stated by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In an interview with the New York Times published on Saturday, Blinken acknowledged that Ukraine is not likely to regain any territory in the immediate future. This admission comes as Russian forces advance in the Donbass region, aiming to cut off the crucial Ukrainian logistical hub of Pokrovsk. Blinken remarked that the situation on the ground is unlikely to change soon, stating, “Where the line is drawn on the map at this point, I don’t think is fundamentally going to change very much.” However, he emphasized that Ukraine's claim to lost territory “will always, always be there.”
Blinken posed the question of whether Ukraine could find ways, with external support, to reclaim its lost territory. He noted that establishing a lasting ceasefire would necessitate Ukraine bolstering its deterrence, possibly through securing international security guarantees or obtaining “a path to NATO membership.”
The US has not identified any opportunity for diplomatic engagement with Russia “in a way that could end the war on just and durable terms,” he claimed.
Following peace negotiations in Istanbul in early 2022, Ukraine and Russia had reached a preliminary agreement. This process was disrupted by then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to senior Russian and Ukrainian officials, leading Kiev to withdraw and pursue a military victory against Russia with Western assistance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized last month that Moscow remains open to considering a long-term peaceful resolution to the conflict, provided it aligns with the points agreed upon in Istanbul and the "new realities on the ground."
Moscow has ruled out a repeat of the failed 2014-2015 Minsk agreements, which were intended to freeze the conflict between Kiev and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Senior Ukrainian and Western officials have subsequently acknowledged that they never intended to adhere to these agreements and used the interim to arm Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Kremlin has reiterated that one of its primary demands for a ceasefire is for Ukraine to adopt a neutral, non-aligned status, keeping it out of NATO. Other conditions put forth by Moscow include Ukraine's demilitarization, denazification, and maintaining a nuclear-free status.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
In an interview with the New York Times published on Saturday, Blinken acknowledged that Ukraine is not likely to regain any territory in the immediate future. This admission comes as Russian forces advance in the Donbass region, aiming to cut off the crucial Ukrainian logistical hub of Pokrovsk. Blinken remarked that the situation on the ground is unlikely to change soon, stating, “Where the line is drawn on the map at this point, I don’t think is fundamentally going to change very much.” However, he emphasized that Ukraine's claim to lost territory “will always, always be there.”
Blinken posed the question of whether Ukraine could find ways, with external support, to reclaim its lost territory. He noted that establishing a lasting ceasefire would necessitate Ukraine bolstering its deterrence, possibly through securing international security guarantees or obtaining “a path to NATO membership.”
The US has not identified any opportunity for diplomatic engagement with Russia “in a way that could end the war on just and durable terms,” he claimed.
Following peace negotiations in Istanbul in early 2022, Ukraine and Russia had reached a preliminary agreement. This process was disrupted by then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to senior Russian and Ukrainian officials, leading Kiev to withdraw and pursue a military victory against Russia with Western assistance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized last month that Moscow remains open to considering a long-term peaceful resolution to the conflict, provided it aligns with the points agreed upon in Istanbul and the "new realities on the ground."
Moscow has ruled out a repeat of the failed 2014-2015 Minsk agreements, which were intended to freeze the conflict between Kiev and the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Senior Ukrainian and Western officials have subsequently acknowledged that they never intended to adhere to these agreements and used the interim to arm Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Kremlin has reiterated that one of its primary demands for a ceasefire is for Ukraine to adopt a neutral, non-aligned status, keeping it out of NATO. Other conditions put forth by Moscow include Ukraine's demilitarization, denazification, and maintaining a nuclear-free status.
Alejandro Jose Martinez contributed to this report for TROIB News
