Blinken clarified whether the U.S. will permit strikes deep into Russia before Trump's inauguration.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured Ukraine that American support would be strengthened ahead of the inauguration of newly-elected President Donald Trump early next year. However, he did not provide a direct answer regarding whether Washington would permit strikes deep into Russia before Trump's arrival. Blinken stated that President Joe Biden's administration will transfer every dollar available to them to meet the military needs of Kyiv.
Antony Blinken announced in Brussels that the U.S. would enhance its support for Ukraine before Trump's administration takes office. He added that NATO countries must significantly increase their support for Ukraine throughout 2025.
"President Biden is committed to ensuring that every dollar we have at our disposal will be delivered by January 20," Blinken said.
He also mentioned that NATO countries need to focus their efforts on ensuring that Ukraine has the funds, ammunition, and mobilized forces for effective combat in 2025. This is necessary, particularly to negotiate with Russia from a position of strength.
Trump has repeatedly questioned Washington's military support for Kyiv and promised to quickly end the war initiated by Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, he has not clarified how he would put an end to the conflict, raising concerns that he might attempt to pressure Ukraine into accepting Moscow's peace terms.
Blinken further stated that the deployment of North Korean troops to assist Russia in the war in Ukraine "will require and receive a firm response." According to the Pentagon, over 10,000 North Korean troops are involved in combat operations in the Kursk border area of Russia.
In response to a question from Radio Free Europe about whether Washington intends to allow Ukraine to use U.S.-provided modern long-range weapons to strike deeper into Russia, as requested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his recently presented "victory plan," Blinken did not respond directly, stating that the United States will continue to "adapt and adjust" to Ukraine's needs.
"We are meeting many of the needs outlined in the victory plan. This is what we discussed today with allies and partners. I am confident that we will continue to adapt and make adjustments as necessary," he added.
Blinken also met in Brussels with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who stated that Kyiv maintains contacts with both U.S. political parties and has worked with both Trump's and Biden's teams. Sybiha mentioned that he would discuss the protection of critical infrastructure with Blinken, according to a statement from the State Department. He added that he is "confident that we can count on continued U.S. support and further decisive actions."
U.S. Assistance
The son of newly-elected U.S. President Donald Trump Jr. surprised many with his comments regarding military assistance from Washington to Kyiv. On November 10, he posted that Ukraine will soon lose American support. This will occur in just 38 days.
The day before, on November 9, the U.S. urgently decided to transfer 500 interceptor missiles for NASAMS and Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. This quantity of missiles will meet Ukraine's needs until the end of the current year. The Biden administration took this step due to the increasing number of mass drone attacks reported in Ukraine over the past months.
The Economist reported that the upcoming three months will be a true test of resilience for Ukraine. The Russians will do everything possible to strengthen their negotiating position before newly-elected President Donald Trump officially takes office on January 20, 2025, which means that the enemy will prepare horrifying actions. Occupiers may attack and even destroy Ukraine's energy system or attempt to physically eliminate Ukraine's leadership. The situation is further worsened by significant Russian successes on the front, with the enemy capturing the largest amount of Ukrainian territory throughout the war.