US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock held talks in Washington on Friday focusing on Ukraine and "Russia's ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine." In a joint press conference, Blinken said, "Both of us have recently returned from Ukraine so we were able to compare notes on our visits, but also make clear that we are both deeply committed to continuing the strong support that we and dozens of other countries around the world have been providing to Ukraine, military, economic humanitarian, and that support is being manifested in everything that we're doing right now to help Ukraine as it prosecutes the counteroffensive to take back more of its territory." "But also as we think about the longer term and the importance of all of us being able to support Ukraine and all of these areas in a sustainable and effective way as it builds a military for the future, as it tries to develop a strong economy, and as it continues to deal with the horrific humanitarian conseque nces of Russia's aggression.
"Ultimately, the objective, of course, is for Ukraine to succeed in its efforts to regain its sovereignty and structural integrity, but not only to survive the Russian aggression, which it has and will, but to thrive in the future and to be able to stand strongly on its own feet," Blinken added.
On her part, Baerbock said, "We've also made a promise to the people of Ukraine. We will support Ukraine's -- we will support Ukrainians, the people there, as long as it takes." "For one and a half years, Putin has been going nowhere with his mindset that, at some point, Europe and the United States and the whole world will just get used to this war because there are other important things that matter," she noted.
"Putin's sledgehammer of fate will not bend the Ukrainian will to survive. It is strengthening their will to fight for their freedom, and this brutality also strengthens the determination of the international community. We in the world stand up for everyone in Ukraine being able to live in freedom in the future.
"We've made it clear during our visit to Kyiv as well. It's not only about the delivery of arms, it's about humanitarian efforts as well, the protection of infrastructure, bringing children back who had been deported. "And we spoke again today about how, before the winter, we can step up our support to Ukraine and dovetail it even more, because we see that interaction in military support, economic support, and also humanitarian aid is so important," the German minister added.
Source: Kuwait News Agency