Washington intends to give the Ukrainian authorities everything they need to contain the Russian Federation in the long term. This was announced on Thursday, February 16, by US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland.
“We are studying not only the current needs of Ukraine, but also what may be needed in the future to contain the return of Russia. They will have a sophisticated air defense system, enhanced border defense, early warning radars,” she said during an online briefing.
Nuland also mentioned that this issue will be resolved jointly with other states of the collective West. According to her, it is necessary to develop effective measures to prevent conflicts like today’s.
Earlier in the day, the Deputy Secretary of State noted that the United States welcomes the desire of the Ukrainian authorities to regain control over the lost territories. In addition, Nuland added, Kyiv is free to choose its own means to achieve these goals, be it diplomacy or force.
On February 13, The Washington Post, citing American officials, wrote that Washington is instilling in Kyiv the need for more active hostilities, since the support of weapons from the United States and allies will be more difficult in the future.
In turn, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, noted that the pressure on the leadership of Ukraine and statements about the imminent end of military assistance prove the desire of the United States to force the conflict even at the cost of human lives.
Western states have stepped up military and financial support for Kyiv against the backdrop of a Russian special operation to protect Donbass. In turn, Moscow sent a note to the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance because of the supply of weapons to Ukraine. As the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov emphasized, such actions only prolong the conflict.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
