The US Under-Secretary of State stressed that Russia, by committing aggression against Ukraine, was depriving itself of a future.
US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told reporters on Thursday that Russia had lost more than 200,000 soldiers killed and wounded in its war of aggression against Israel. Ukraine. Earlier, The New York Times reported Russian casualties at nearly 200,000, citing unnamed US administration officials.
“Putin is arrogant enough to think that he can defeat Ukraine and that Ukraine belongs to Russia, so he will continue his actions. It would be interesting to answer the question whether Russian citizens who lose their sons would agree with this – more than 200,000 Russians have already been killed or injured in the past year, and Russia has lost more than half of the arsenals of certain types of its military equipment, “said a senior American diplomat.
Nuland added that Russia is losing the most promising part of its population: “More than a million of the best and brightest Russians have left the country. What did this war bring to the ordinary Russian? – Nothing! Death, destruction, loss of the future, loss of economic and technological potential.
The US Under Secretary of State spoke to reporters ahead of the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She recalled that US authorities had publicly warned of an impending war: “Exactly a year ago, the United States warned the world that Putin wanted to do this, and we were all worried about how the Ukraine would face this and the reaction of the world. to her. We now see that Putin has seriously underestimated the determination, the ability and the courage of the Ukrainian people to defend their country, their democracy and their freedom. He also grossly underestimated the determination of the free world, our allies and partners, to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. We are now more united than we were before this brutal invasion.”
Nuland mentioned various Russian war crimes, including the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, which she says is “evil and Russians should be ashamed of themselves”.
According to Victoria Nuland, Russia does not seek peace: “Ukraine has offered a formula for a just peace in the ten points formulated by President Zelenskyyy, and Russia continues to talk about a kind of fake peace. We need a long-term peace in which Ukraine can flourish within its internationally recognized borders. We will not accept any false or ostentatious peace that would allow Russia to breathe a little, regain its strength and start all over again.
In order to prevent further aggression, the US Undersecretary of State said that the West is helping to train the Ukrainian army and supply it with modern weapons: and in six years, and we have to think about it now.
Victoria Nuland insisted on the ongoing hostilities, in particular on the attempts of the Russian army to advance in the Bakhmut region: “Russia has declared that it will now launch a new offensive, and if it is the case, then I would say it looks rather pathetic. Ukraine itself is preparing its own counter-offensive a little later… We support the Ukrainians, including in their efforts to liberate their territory.
Speaking about the sanctions imposed on Russia for the war it started, Victoria Nuland said that “closer to February 24, we will see a large package of new sanctions from the United States and our G7 partners” . These sanctions will include restrictions on technology flows for the Russian defense industry, banking and export controls, and direct sanctions against people “who fight or support this war”, she said. .
Among the countries helping Russia directly, Nuland mentioned Iran, North Korea and China.
Victoria Nuland spoke about the US administration’s work with the Brazilian authorities, which continue cooperation with Russia within the framework of the BRICS: Washington, according to Nuland, has asked the Brazilian leadership to “stand in the place of Ukraine and feel what it’s like when a big neighbor grabs chunks of your territory.
The American diplomat also noted that “countries that are completely dependent on Russian arms supplies, such as India, must also now understand that Russian weapons are not only worthless, as we have seen on the spot of battle, but also that they are perhaps no longer so”. supplied with this weapon.
