Speaking at a year-end news conference on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States will continue to unite countries around the world to support Ukraine’s freedom and independence and ensure that Russian aggression remains a strategic failure.
“Putin has already failed to achieve his main goal in Ukraine: erasing it from the map and incorporating it into Russia,” Blinken said. – Russia is weaker militarily, economically, diplomatically. “NATO is bigger, stronger and more united than at any time in its nearly 75-year history.”
The Secretary of State noted that Europe has allocated more than $110 billion to Ukraine, while the United States has allocated about $70 billion. Japan, Korea, Australia, and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region also took active measures – from assistance in restoring the energy system of Ukraine to providing large-scale military and humanitarian assistance.
“Like us, they understand that Ukraine’s support is vital to showing potential aggressors around the world that we will stand up to those who seek to redraw borders with force,” Blinken said.
The US foreign policy chief said the US is working more closely than ever with the G7, EU and other allies and partners to address challenges including China’s growing influence. The United States is deepening cooperation and coordination between NATO and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
“These efforts allow us to collaborate more effectively on problematic issues such as China’s coercive trade and economic practices, peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, and human rights,” he said.
Blinken said that in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the United States will continue to pay close attention to its main priorities: helping Israel prevent a repeat of the events of October 7, ending the conflict as quickly as possible while minimizing the number of casualties, returning remaining hostages, preventing the conflict from spreading, and moving towards lasting peace.
The Secretary of State called on Congress to accept the President’s request for additional national security funding.
“If Congress votes on this funding, it will benefit our fellow citizens, our businesses, our workers, our allies and partners, people around the world who look to the leadership of the United States,” Blinken said of the congressional delay in passing the bill. “And if we fail, Moscow, Tehran and Beijing will rejoice.” If we fail, it will not be our adversaries and competitors who will stop us. It will be us.”
