The United States is working with Ukraine and other allies to reach consensus on key issues of a “just and lasting peace” to end the war with Russia, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said. He also said, that Washington would facilitate initiatives by other countries in this context if they supported the UN Charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
“We will support efforts – Brazil, China or any other country – if they help to find a path to a just and lasting peace,” Blinken stressed in his speech in Helsinki during the NATO Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
At the same time, he said, the war in Ukraine had only strengthened U.S. resolve to counter any threats, particularly from China.
Referring to the progress Ukraine has already made against Russian aggression, the Secretary of State called NATO’s unity in supporting Kiev an important factor for this. And he pledged, that assistance would continue until Ukraine defeats the occupiers.
Blinken said – NATO allies would also continue to “strengthen the Alliance by developing deterrence and defence plans” and continue the process of attracting new members to the Alliance, particularly Sweden.
As for Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance “when the time is right”. He added, that the main thing now is to ensure Kiev’s victory “because only with an independent, sovereign Ukraine in Europe at all can membership and other issues be solved”.
At the same time, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who has expressed his desire to become the next NATO secretary-general, does not believe that Ukraine will be able to join the alliance any time soon. The day before, he saidб that NATO, as well as the EU, should not repeat the mistakes of the past by making excessive promises to such applicants as Ukraine.
Wallace said a number of countries are now prepared to enter into bilateral or multilateral “mutual defence pacts” with Ukraine and commit to long-term plans to develop the country’s military capabilities to ensure that future incursions into Ukraine would be costly for Russia or anyone else.
According to the British minister, such arrangements could be successful in deterring Russia, as “Russian ground forces will be significantly depleted over the next 10 years”.
Wallace also notedб that Western countries still support providing weapons and funding to Ukraine without putting pressure on Kiev to start peace talks with Russia.
