Secretary Blinken’s Call with Polish Foreign Minister Rau
09/07/2022
Secretary Blinken’s Call with Polish Foreign Minister Rau
09/07/2022 04:39 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Rau discussed the importance of continued close collaboration in the global response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Secretary thanked Poland for its sustained security assistance and humanitarian support to Ukraine and its generosity in hosting millions of refugees from Ukraine. The Secretary also discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation on civil nuclear power generation in Poland to advance shared energy security, climate change, and national security objectives.
North Macedonia National Day
09/08/2022
North Macedonia National Day
09/08/2022 12:01 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of North Macedonia as you celebrate 31 years of independence.
North Macedonia has made great strides toward European integration by opening European Union accession negotiations this year. Unity in Europe and the pursuit of our democratic values is more important now than ever. The United States will continue to support our Ally, North Macedonia on its European path in the years ahead.
Our countries share democratic values and a commitment to human rights that stand strong in the face of global challenges. The United States will continue to stand with you as you make great strides toward increasing the prosperity of all your citizens, improving the rule of law, and strengthening your democratic institutions.
Best wishes on this special day.
Andorra’s National Day
09/08/2022
Andorra’s National Day
09/08/2022 12:01 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
On behalf of the United States of America, I send my warm wishes to the people of Andorra as they celebrate their patron saint, Our Lady of Meritxell.
Our relationship with Andorra spans decades, and the United States is proud of our joint efforts on the Fulbright Program and the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs to advance our common goals of education and female empowerment. We deeply appreciate Andorra’s efforts in joining with us to condemn Russia’s war on Ukraine and to welcome Ukrainian refugees to their country. We commend Andorra for its commitment to the fight against climate change and roles in the OSCE, the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund. As the world looks to future challenges, we look forward to deepening our friendship and cooperation with Andorra to promote shared values around the world.
My best wishes to the people of Andorra for a joyous national day.
$2.8 Billion in Additional U.S. Military Assistance for Ukraine and Its Neighbors
09/08/2022
$2.8 Billion in Additional U.S. Military Assistance for Ukraine and Its Neighbors
09/08/2022 08:58 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
It has been seven months since President Putin’s February invasion of Ukraine, and the war’s terrible toll continues to mount. Thousands of civilians killed or wounded, 13 million Ukrainian civilians forced to flee their homes, historic cities pounded to rubble, horrifying reports of ongoing atrocities, nuclear power stations put at risk, food shortages, skyrocketing food prices around the world. Ukraine’s extraordinary front-line defenders continue to courageously fight for their country’s freedom, and President Biden has been clear we will support the people of Ukraine for as long as it takes. I reiterated this message to President Zelenskyy and his team today in Kyiv, which remains ̶ and will remain ̶ the capital of a sovereign, independent Ukraine.
I also informed President Zelenskyy that, pursuant to a delegation of authority from the President, I am authorizing our twentieth drawdown since September 2021 of U.S. arms and equipment for Ukraine. This $675 million drawdown includes additional arms, munitions, and equipment from U.S. Department of Defense inventories ̶ equipment that Ukraine’s forces have used so effectively for their country’s defense.
In addition, we are also notifying Congress today of our intent to make a further $2.2 billion available in long-term investments under Foreign Military Financing to bolster the security of Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors; including many of our NATO Allies, as well as other regional security partners potentially at risk of future Russian aggression.
These announcements will bring the total U.S. military assistance for Ukraine to approximately $15.2 billion since the beginning of this Administration.
The United States is providing security assistance alongside our allies and partners from more than 50 countries to support Ukraine’s defense. The capabilities we are delivering are carefully calibrated to make the most difference on the battlefield.
We stand United with Ukraine.
Secretary Blinken Travels to Ukraine and Belgium
09/08/2022
Secretary Blinken Travels to Ukraine and Belgium
09/08/2022 02:25 PM EDT
Ned Price, Department Spokesperson
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken traveled to Ukraine today and will travel to Brussels September 9. On September 8, the Secretary arrived in Kyiv to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reaffirm our strong commitment to Ukraine. Secretary Blinken announced his intent to notify Congress of over $2.2 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to bolster the security of Ukraine and its neighbors.
This amount includes $1 billion for Ukraine, an integral part of our sustained commitment to Ukraine to ensure it has the capability to defend against Russia’s continued assault and assist in developing the capabilities Ukraine needs in the future. The remaining assistance for our Allies and partners is a key component of the Administration’s effort to build the capacity of European Allies and partners impacted by the situation in Ukraine to deter and defend against the increased threat from Russia. These funds will also help replace security assistance that our Allies and partners have provided to Ukraine. The Secretary also announced another $675 million in systems and supplies for the Ukrainian military via the 20th Presidential Drawdown Authority package.
While in Kyiv, the Secretary also visited the youngest victims of Russia’s brutal war at the Children’s National Hospital and met with those rebuilding the devastated city of Irpin after Russia’s failed surge towards the capital in February and March of this year.
Tomorrow, the Secretary will travel to Brussels to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the North Atlantic Council. Secretary Blinken will provide a readout of his trip to Ukraine and discuss NATO Allies’ support for Ukraine and the Alliance’s long-term plans to deter Russia’s aggression.
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Traveling Press
09/08/2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Remarks to the Traveling Press
09/08/2022 04:15 PM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Kyiv, Ukraine
Train Station
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We had, I think, a very productive and in many ways meaningful day here in Ukraine. This is my fifth trip here as Secretary, the third since the Russian aggression started. And I thought – President Biden thought it would be particularly meaningful to come at this time as Ukraine is starting its counteroffensive in the south, also in the east. Early days, but we’re seeing real effectiveness on the ground. And we’re proud of the fact that our support, the support of so many other countries, is helping to enable what the Ukrainians are doing and working to liberate territory seized by Russia in this aggression. At the end of the day, what matters most and the thing that fundamentally makes a difference is that this is Ukraine’s homeland, not Russia. And that will I think be dispositive of everything.
I was able to announce as well additional security support today for Ukraine, $2.8 billion in additional support. That brings the total since the Russian aggression began to about $14.7 billion in security assistance, and of course there’s significant economic assistance, humanitarian assistance that goes along with that.
I was able to spend about two hours with President Zelenskyy and his team and our team going over every aspect of our support for Ukraine as well as the pressure we’re exerting on Russia to end this aggression. And that meeting was extremely productive.
Maybe the most meaningful thing was the opportunity on this trip to actually spend some time with Ukrainian citizens, including part of our embassy team. It was very meaningful for me to be able to be back at the embassy. We, as you know, had to shutter the embassy briefly when the aggression began. I was determined that we would raise the American flag again; we were able to do that some months ago. It was great to be able to see it, but especially good to hear so many of our colleagues – Ukrainian colleagues – who are the lifeblood of that embassy who have been putting their lives on the line, including to help secure our embassy and to support our team. And of course, spending time with the embassy team. Ambassador Brink, one of our strongest diplomats, was very important as well.
We spent time at a children’s hospitals, including meeting some of the youngest victims of Russia’s aggression – a very stark reminder of what this is all about. And for those of you who are along, we were just in Irpin, where I was able to bear witness to horrific attacks on houses, on buildings, clearly belonging to civilians, where the shelling, the missiles, the bullets, it’s all there. And at best it’s indiscriminate; at worst it’s intentional. And I was able to talk to people doing remarkable work in compiling evidence of war crimes and atrocities and also those responsible for the city who are working to rebuild it.
Throughout all of this we were able to reaffirm our strong support for Ukraine, our determination that Ukraine will emerge sovereign, independent, democratic, and even stronger than before. As I talk to so many Ukrainians, I have no doubt that will be the result in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Thanks.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary —
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary —
MR PRICE: John, go ahead.
QUESTION: So you have announced scores of weapons packages to Ukraine, more than any other country by a long shot. I was interviewing soldiers who are involved in the counteroffensive, and they told me to a person that they don’t have enough munitions, that they’re shooting three mortars and they get 20 mortars in return; they’re not taking certain shots that they want to take because they don’t feel like they have enough.
In your conversations today, did you have a sense for what is the disconnect? What can justify that, and did you get a comprehensive update on how the counteroffensive is moving?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: A few things, John. First, yes, we did get a comprehensive update on the counteroffensive. And again, it’s very early but we’re seeing clear and real progress on the ground, particularly in the area around Kherson but also some interesting developments in the Donbas in the east. But again, early days.
Second, throughout – from day one, even before day one with the drawdowns that we did going back to Labor Day a year ago as we saw the possibility and the increasing likelihood of Russian aggression, through everything we’ve done, now 20 drawdowns of equipment, we have been working and we have been laboring to make sure that we are getting into the hands of the Ukrainians what they need to deal with the threat that they’re facing. And that is an ever-evolving picture, depending on the nature of the battle, what they’re doing, and what the Russians are doing in response. And we continue to look at that every single day to make sure, again, they’re getting what they need.
I think you’ve seen over time what they were able to do, for example, in pushing the Russians out of the areas surrounding Kyiv many months ago was, as I said, a result first of all of their courage but also a result of what they had in their hands provided largely by the United States and other countries that we got to them even before the Russian aggression started. So we’re looking at this every single day. Secretary Austin is right now in Ramstein with a large coalition of countries that are working to support the Ukrainians.
Look, in the – and I read some of your very, very good and compelling reporting. The Russians are in many instances throwing everything they have at Ukrainian soldiers and Ukrainian civilians, and they’re doing it indiscriminately. And if you’re on the receiving end of that, it’s got to be incredibly horrifying. And at the same time, you have very precise weapons that we and others have provided to the Ukrainians that allows them with one shot to do what the Russians may try to do with 15 or 20 shots, so that’s also part of what’s going on.
But we’ve very attentive to what we’re hearing, what we’re getting from the Ukrainians, what we’re reading in your reporting and other reporting, and we are determined to make sure that they have what they need. We work on it every day.
MR PRICE: Thanks, everyone. Thanks, everyone. We’re short on time. Thanks.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, the U.S. declassified new intelligence yesterday suggesting that Russia has carried out the so-called filtration of some 1.6 million Ukrainians into Russia. Do you think that is possible without the direction of Mr. Putin himself?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: It would be hard to imagine.
MR PRICE: Thanks, everyone.
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Before Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
09/08/2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken Before Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
09/08/2022 05:13 PM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Kyiv, Ukraine
Bankova
PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: (Via interpreter) Dear State Secretary, colleagues, first and foremost, I would like to extend words of gratitude for your visit and the visit of your team. It sends a very important signal that confirms the leadership support and the leadership positions of the United States, in terms of their support to Ukraine in this war, for our freedom, for democracy, for our nation, for our people, for our territory in this war against the aggressor, the Russian Federation.
And we are grateful for this signal, for the enormous support you are providing on the day-to-day basis, and we’d like to extend words of gratitude to you personally and to the administration of the President Biden, him personally. I would like also to extend words of gratitude to the Congress of the United States for these very constructive steps of support in many directions – the financial support, which is allocated to ensure the stability of Ukrainian economy, as well as further reinforces the capabilities of our armed forces, which are defending the territorial integrity of Ukraine on the battlefield.
These are very important signals saying that United States are with us. And for us it’s a guarantee of the possibility of returning our territories, our lands. And I highly appreciate your arrival, and I’m sure that we can cover many topics today in a more detailed manner.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mr. President, thank you so very much. It’s wonderful to see you again, to see my friend, Dmytro. We speak on the phone frequently, but it’s even better to see him and you in person. This is my fifth trip to Ukraine in this job, the third since Russia’s invasion, if you count as one trip the occasion when Dmytro and I met on the border very early and we stepped into Ukrainian territory.
But Mr. President, we know this is a pivotal moment. More than six months into Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as your counter-offensive is now underway and proving effective, that is of course mostly the function of the incredible bravery, resilience of Ukrainians. We see that on the battlefield every day. We are so pleased that we’ve been able to support your efforts and we’ll continue to do so. But fundamentally what this comes down to, the reason for this success, is that this is your homeland, not Russia’s. And it’s as basic as that.
Mr. President, I am pleased to be able to announce, as we did earlier today, additional support for Ukraine, another $675 million in assistance and supplies that your military is already using to such great effect – rockets, artillery, armed vehicles, anti-tank systems, and more. This is the 20th drawdown, as we call it, and that brings our total commitment in security assistance to Ukraine since February to $13.5 billion.
We also notified our Congress of our intent to provide Ukraine with an additional $1 billion in what we call foreign military financing. This is for longer-term acquisitions of systems. We are also providing $1 billion, additional dollars, of financing for our European allies and partners, who’ve been doing so much to support Ukraine. This will allow the purchase of systems that you need, and others will need, over the longer term to deter and defend against any future aggressions from Russia. It will be the kind of assistance that is durable and enduring, as the prime minister and I discussed. I’m looking forward to an opportunity to hear about the counteroffensive, which is part and parcel of putting you, putting Ukraine, in the strongest possible position both on the battlefield and in the event there is a future opportunity for diplomacy.
Another key aspect of this is the massive cost and the massive consequences that Moscow is being subjected to as a result of its aggression. And I think it’s important to continue to emphasize that because what we see is costs on Russia that are already extraordinary and they’re going to get heavier and heavier. We see its GDP in freefall, anywhere between 9 and 15 percent this year; an exodus of more than 1,000 international companies from Russia, a brain drain of the most talented people from Russia; a huge decline in their imports so that they are unable to replace the weapons that they are using. They are unable to produce the products for their own people that they’ve expected in the past. They’re unable to make the things that they used to export to other countries, and their markets will dry out as a result. And they’re unable to borrow money against their sovereign debt.
So it’s gotten to a point where Moscow is now seeking military assistance from North Korea and Iran as we have systematically choked off their access to inputs elsewhere, and we will continue to exert that pressure until the aggression ceases and Ukraine is fully sovereign and independent.
Across all of these measures, our support – the pressure on Russia, the humanitarian and economic assistance – I think together we’ve proven very effective, and we will keep (inaudible). You have our word and our track record. I should also add this: The rest of the world, of course, has felt the consequences of Russia’s aggression. And one of the consequences has been an increase in food insecurity that was already severe because of climate change and because of COVID. Russia’s aggression added to that problem.
The agreement that was reached that lifted the blockade by Russia on Odesa has already resulted in 100 ships bringing grain and food products to the world, and most of that has gone to what we call the Global South – countries in Africa and elsewhere who are the most in need. President Putin’s threat to discontinue that agreement I think will deeply anger and upset the countries that are benefiting now from Ukraine’s right to export its own food.
Very quickly, Mr. President, in April I pledged that we would reopen our mission at the first possible opportunity. Today, joined by Ambassador Brink, I spent some time with our team at the embassy. It was very meaningful to me to see the American flag flying over the United States embassy. We are committed to it, and I’m glad we did it.
Secretary of Defense Austin and I also promised that we will continue to provide security assistance at the president’s request, and as I mentioned, we’ve since provided billions of dollars. Today, the Secretary of Defense Austin is in Ramstein, Germany where he has been working and coordinating with countries around the world in providing assistance to Ukraine.
I said we’d continue to step up with economic assistance. Since April, we’ve provided about $7.5 billion in economic support that goes directly to your (inaudible), including support for 600,000 teachers, and the school year has now started. And so for your future, for our future together, this is so important. We’ll continue to be there for you.
Finally, Mr. President, I visited a children’s hospital today, and that made very real the costs (inaudible) that you’re suffering, but also what’s at stake – quite literally the future of the country, as represented by those children who are victims of Russian aggression. Their bravery, their courage is incredibly inspiring. It’s clear, Mr. President, that Ukrainians both young and old have extraordinary resolve. So does the United States.
Thank you.
Message to the People of the United Kingdom and to the Peoples of the Commonwealth
09/08/2022
Message to the People of the United Kingdom and to the Peoples of the Commonwealth
09/08/2022 10:00 PM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Together with the American people, I extend my deepest sympathies to His Majesty The King, the entire Royal Family, the people of the United Kingdom, and the peoples of the Commonwealth on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
For more than 70 years – a period during which the United Kingdom and the world witnessed unprecedented change – Queen Elizabeth personified a sense of stability. During a time of tremendous division, she was a source of unity.
Her influence extended well beyond the Commonwealth. As Queen, she visited more than 120 countries, including the United States, where she made a point of meeting not only with leaders, but with people from all walks of life. She was the embodiment of the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, and a symbol of the enduring alliance that has seen our nations through the greatest tests of the 20th and 21st centuries.
We join people around the world in mourning her passing, and we will forever be inspired by the memory of her service, leadership, and friendship.
Remarks to Traveling Press Before Departing Poland
09/09/2022
Remarks to Traveling Press Before Departing Poland
09/09/2022 04:48 AM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Rzeszow, Poland
Rzeszow Airport
SECRETARY BLINKEN: (In progress) and in many ways was meaningful because it took place coincident with the beginnings of this counteroffensive that Ukraine is engaged in to liberate the land that has been seized by Russian forces as a result of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
We had a chance yesterday to hear directly from President Zelenskyy and his team about the state of their efforts in this counteroffensive, and I had an opportunity to share with him and his team additional significant assistance that the United States is providing both in the near term and longer term on the security side – an additional $2.8 billion. This assistance combined with the extraordinary courage and resilience of Ukrainian forces and the Ukrainian people has been the recipe for success thus far in the Ukrainians pushing the Russians back, and now engaging in this counteroffensive.
I told President Zelenskyy on behalf of President Biden and the American people that we have been with Ukraine. We’re with Ukraine today. We will be with Ukraine tomorrow and for however long it takes to deal with Russia’s aggression. And I come away, again, very confident in Ukraine’s future because the Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland. It’s their homeland, not Russia’s.
We head now to Brussels. I think I’ve spent more time in Brussels than in any other city other than Washington, D.C., these past 18 months or so, and there’s good reason for that. It’s home to the NATO Alliance, the European Union. Allies and partners come together in Brussels to work together on the major challenges of our time; Ukraine now being at the top of the list.
So, I’ll have an opportunity in Brussels to debrief NATO Allies, other partners, on what I learned in Ukraine and to work with them on a number of issues that are of concern to everyone, starting with the situation in and around Zaporizhzhia, where Russia has seized as part of its aggression a nuclear facility, and that’s of real concern to many of us; making sure that food which needs to get out of Ukraine after it’s been blocked by Russia – make sure the agreement that was reached continues; support for Ukraine, not just security support but economic support and humanitarian support; thinking about longer-term reconstruction needs – all of this is going to be part of the agenda in Brussels.
And I think I’ll have a chance to reflect a little bit on what I saw yesterday just in terms of the human toll of Russia’s aggression – seeing kids at the children’s hospital who are victims of that aggression; going to Irpin, a city that was devastated by Russia’s aggression. You see just miles from downtown Kyiv these bombed-out buildings, civilian dwellings. The only thing you can say when you see it is, at best – at best, these were indiscriminate attacks on civilian buildings, and at worst, intentional, deliberate, designed to terrorize the population. It’s important that we remember this, because all of this comes down to the effect it’s having on the lives of real people in Ukraine.
But finally, the most important reason I think we’re in Brussels is because what has worked so well for us thus far has been our unity – unity of purpose, unity of action. When it comes to helping Ukraine defend itself, when it comes to making sure that there’s significant pressure on Russia to end this aggression, when it comes to making sure our own Alliance is as strong and resolute as it can be to deter any additional Russian aggression, I think you’ll see that unity in action, once again. And I’m confident that based on every conversation I’ve had, every engagement I’ve had, it’s going to continue.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, going into the Brussels visit, how concerned are you that the energy challenges facing European countries, including the high prices and the supply challenges, are going to erode the unity that you just mentioned of the anti-Russia coalition and the support of Europeans for what’s happening in Ukraine?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Look, President Biden said from the start that standing up for what’s at stake with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was not going to be cost-free. And countries have stepped up. They stepped up because, in the first instance, the aggression on a human level is abhorrent but also because, fundamentally, it’s an aggression against the basic principles of the international system that helped us keep the peace, that helped us maintain security, that allowed countries to grow and move forward. And if we allow this to stand, this aggression to stand with impunity, it opens a Pandora’s box for a world of conflict, for a world of hurt going forward.
But it comes with costs, but the cost of inaction, of not doing anything, of allowing this to go forward, would be far greater.
Now, when it comes to energy, we have taken and we’re taking significant action to deal with the challenges that exist. The United States has released significant oil from our strategic petroleum reserve. We have redirected liquefied natural gas to Europe to help alleviate some of the challenges that Europe is facing with the reduction in energy coming from Russia. We have a task force with the European Union looking at how we do this effectively not just in the immediate, but for the long term. And of course the fact that Russia has cut off the Nord Stream I pipeline, again, is further evidence that it is so vital strategically for Europe to move away from dependence on Russian energy, because Putin has shown repeatedly that he will use it as a weapon. And it’s not going to stop now.
So, the challenge is to get through the coming winter. Europe has taken very significant steps to put itself in a position to do that, and I’ll hear more about that later today. And we’re doing everything we can to help. But there’s also a tremendous opportunity born of necessity. The opportunity is finally, once and for all, to move away from this dependence on Russia – to get rid of the chokehold that Russia has on Europe, using energy as a weapon, and to diversify supply, diversify roots, but also do it in a way that addresses the climate challenge.
This is a real, genuine opportunity. We see decisive action being taken by Europe. And again, from what I’ve seen and heard so far, I’m confident this is moving in a good direction. Is there going to be a cost to this? Is it going to be challenging? Yes, but I think we’re looking at landing in a place where manifestly Europe, the United States, countries around the world will be better off.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Mr. Secretary, on the offensive in the east and south, what would have to happen? You talked with Mr. – President Zelenskyy. What would have to happen? What would they have to achieve with those offensives for it to make sense to go to the negotiating table, and for the West to support negotiations between Ukraine and Russia?
MR PRICE: That is for Ukraine to decide. That’s for President Zelenskyy, the democratically elected leader of Ukraine, to decide. They have to decide the terms upon which they would want to engage and pursue diplomacy. President Zelenskyy said very clearly that when this ends, it will end with diplomacy, but it takes two to engage in meaningful diplomacy. And one is not – it’s not present and shows no signs of being present, and that’s Russia.
So, unless and until Russia demonstrates that it’s serious about engaging in diplomacy, there’s not much, alas, to be done. And as to the specific terms, that is up to Ukraine. Their country has been aggressed. Russia has seized territory in southern and eastern Ukraine. It’s Ukraine, it’s not Russia. And ultimately, territory needs to go back to Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence needs to be reaffirmed. I have no doubts with – about that. I think we’ve already seen that Putin’s efforts to erase that sovereignty, to erase that independence, to try to make good on his conviction that Ukraine is not its own country and belongs to Russia – that’s already game over. Putin’s lost on that, but, meanwhile, doing tremendous damage to Ukraine, to lives, to livelihoods. That has to stop. The exact terms upon which it stops, again, will be up to Ukraine.
MR PRICE: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Again, all of this is up to the Ukrainian people through their democratically elected representatives. We are working closely with them to support them and to make sure that if and when there is a negotiation, that they’re in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table to conclude it successfully.
MR PRICE: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Thank you.
Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Call with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Huijts
09/09/2022
Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Call with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Huijts
09/09/2022 02:30 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Paul Huijts today to reaffirm the importance of a successful Seventh Replenishment Conference for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. President Biden will host the Replenishment Conference during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The United States is committed to helping the Global Fund reach its goals to help the world end HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria and to build resilient and sustainable health systems. President Biden has signaled that the United States will make a contribution of $2 billion and an intended pledge of $6 billion for the Seventh Replenishment period, demonstrating the United States’ readiness to match $1 for every $2 contributed by other donors.
The Deputy Secretary also extended condolences on behalf of the United States following the shooting of three Royal Netherlands Army soldiers in Indianapolis.
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a Joint Press Availability
09/09/2022
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a Joint Press Availability
09/09/2022 02:45 PM EDT
Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State
Brussels, Belgium
NATO Headquarters
MODERATOR: Good afternoon. The Secretary General and the Secretary of State will make introductory remarks, and then they’ll be happy to take a few questions. Secretary General.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Secretary Blinken, dear Tony, welcome back to NATO. It’s always great to see you here and thank you for your personal leadership and your personal commitment to our transatlantic Alliance.
Today, the NATO flag and the flags of 30 allies are at half mast to honor Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She was a strong supporter of our transatlantic Alliance, of our armed forces, and our values. She knew and worked with all NATO secretaries general, since the founding of NATO. She visited NATO headquarters and hosted NATO leaders at Buckingham Palace. I’ll always remember her wisdom, her warmth, and her strong personal interest in transatlantic security. Our heartfelt condolences to King Charles III, the royal family, and the people of our allies, the United Kingdom and Canada.
We have just concluded a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, where we addressed NATO’s strong and united response to Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine. This includes unprecedented military, financial, and humanitarian aid from allies so that Ukraine can uphold its right to self‑defense. The United States is leading the way, and I welcome the billions of dollars of additional support announced this week.
Yesterday, I participated in the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Russia. We all agree on the importance of stepping and sustaining our winter support so that Ukraine prevails as an independent sovereign state.
In June, NATO leaders agreed a strengthened package of assistance with fuel, food, medical supplies, military gear, secure communications, and equipment to encounter mines and drones. We will support Ukraine in the long term and help its transition from Soviet-era to modern NATO equipment.
The war in Ukraine is entering a critical phase. Ukrainian forces have been able to stall Moscow’s offensive in Donbas, strike back behind Russian lines, and retake territory. Just in the last few days, we have seen further progress – both in the south in Kherson, and in the east in the Kharkiv region. This shows the bravery, skills, and determination of Ukrainian forces, and it shows that our support is making a difference every day on the battlefield.
In the coming months our unity and sovereignty will be tested with pressure on energy supplies and the soaring cost of living, caused by Russia’s war. But the price we pay is measured in money, while the price Ukrainians are paying is measured in lives – lost lives every day. And all of us will pay a much higher price, if Russia and all the authoritarian regimes see that their aggression is rewarded.
If Russia stops fighting, there will be peace. If Ukraine stops fighting, it will cease to exist as an independent nation. So we must stay the course for Ukraine’s sake and for ours. At the same time, we are sending an unmistakable message to Moscow about our readiness to protect and defend every inch of our territory. We are significantly enhancing our presence in the east of the Alliance, putting hundreds of thousands of troops on high readiness, supported with significant air and naval forces, and continuing to invest in cutting-edge capabilities.
All of this makes clear that our commitment to Article 5 is unshakeable. Europe and North American must continue to stand together in NATO, in defense of our people, our nations, and our values.
So Secretary Blinken, dear Tony, thank you again for leadership, for being here, and for a strong personal commitment to our Alliance. Please, start, of course.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jens, thank you so much. Thank you especially for your remarkable leadership of our Alliance in what is the decisive period of the Alliance. We’ve come out of the NATO Summit with a new Strategic Concept. We’ve faced Russian aggression in Ukraine. We’ve done it together, and that’s in no small measure because of your leadership.
Before speaking about what brings me here today, I’d like to join Jens in taking a moment just to honor the truly extraordinary life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On her 21st birthday, then Princess Elizabeth committed to dedicating her life to serving the people of the Commonwealth. For more than 70 years – a period during which the United Kingdom and world witnessed unprecedented change – the Queen did just that, while personifying a sense of stability and continuity in turbulent times. She was a powerful, unifying force, a source of comfort and resilience to millions of people from all walks of life. On behalf of the United States, I extend our deepest condolences to our British friends, to the Government of the United Kingdom, to the royal family.
So as Jens noted, we just finished a session with our NATO Allies, where I had an opportunity to share a readout of my talks in Kyiv with President Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Kuleba, and other senior Ukrainian officials. I’ll have an opportunity to speak to President von der Leyen from the European Union tomorrow to continue the strong transatlantic cooperation that we’ve had on Ukraine and on so many other things. These consultations are just the latest example of the unity and strength of our Alliance.
Yesterday, as I was in Kyiv, Secretary of Defense Austin convened the fifth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. More than 50 countries took part, including Ukraine’s defense minister as well as the Secretary General. Support from that group continues to make a decisive difference on the battlefield, where Ukraine’s great defenders are not just holding ground, they are retaking their sovereign territory in a two-front counteroffensive.
As I told President Zelenskyy, the support of the United States is unwavering. I announced more than $2.8 billion in additional security assistance to Ukraine and also for its neighbors. That support includes $675 million in new military aid to Ukraine. This is part of the twentieth drawdown of military equipment that President Biden has initiated, going back before the Russian aggression. It includes more guided multiple launch rocket systems, artillery ammunition, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, anti-tank systems. The twentieth drawdown now totals $14.7 billion.
That sum also includes approximately $2.2 billion in what we call foreign military financing for Ukraine, but also for European allies and partners. That will allow them to begin to begin to acquire assistance for the medium and long term that will be essential to deterring and, if necessary, defending against further Russian aggression in the years to come.
Our unity here at NATO, across our alliances and partnerships at the United Nations and other international institutions, is essential to advancing our objectives – shared objectives of supporting Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself, sustaining pressure on Russia for its aggression, ensuring that Ukraine is in the strongest position when conditions are ripe for negotiations. As President Zelenskyy has said, and rightly said, diplomacy is the only way to definitively end Russia’s war of aggression. We see in this moment no indication from Russia that it would be prepared to seriously pursue such diplomacy, but if and when that time comes, Ukraine has to be in the strongest possible position.
Now, President Putin thought that he would divide and weaken NATO. Today, the Alliance is stronger, more unified, better resourced than ever before, and I heard further evidence in our session with NATO partners today. We’ll soon welcome Finland and Sweden as new allies. We’ve approved a new Strategic Concept to meet twenty-first century threats, and more allies are meeting their pledge to spend two percent of their GDP on defense.
President Putin thought that he would divide the Ukrainian people and swiftly absorb their nation into Russia, but the Kremlin’s efforts to impose its will by force on Ukraine have only further united its people around the goal of defending their sovereignty and preserving a free and open democracy.
President Putin thought his invasion would showcase the Russian military’s might and sophistication. Instead, the Russian army is turning to North Korea and Iran for badly needed supplies, while Ukraine’s military capability continues to get stronger, thanks to its leadership, thanks to the courage of its fighters, and thanks to the robust support from allies and partners.
President Putin thought that our willingness to apply economic pressure would fade with time. Instead, we and our partners and allies have stuck together in the face of Moscow’s coercion and threats, imposing unprecedented costs on Russia’s economy. To date, over 1,000 foreign companies have quit the Russian market. Export controls on semiconductors and other advanced technologies mean that Russia cannot sustain – never mind modernize – key sectors, from automobile manufacturing to military exports, to energy exploration.
Russian imports parts and finished products, have been cut in half from a year ago. What does that mean? It means that they can’t replace the weapons that they’re using up in Ukraine, that they can’t make products for their domestic market, that their people are accustomed to buy. They can’t produce things for export, which will shrink their foreign markets.
Half a million people – half a million people, many of them highly skilled workers – have left the country. Russia’s foreign exchange reserves are estimated to have fallen by $75 billion and an additional $300 billion are currently frozen abroad. Meanwhile, Russia is cut off from the international lending market.
All of this is building. It’s cumulative. It will get to be a heavier and heavier burden, as long as Russia’s aggression continues.
And yet, even as President Putin has failed in virtually all of his objectives, the human suffering he’s inflicted on Ukrainians and other people around the world is staggering. I saw some of those consequences up close on my visit yesterday in Ukraine, including to Irpin, whose very name, like the battle of Bucha and Mariupol has become synonymous with Russian war crimes, including indiscriminate violence and the intentional targeting of civilians.
I saw the costs in my visit to the children’s hospital in Kyiv, where I met kids who will spend the rest of their lives without limbs, with enduring brain injuries, or with other trauma that may be invisible to the eye, because of atrocities committed by Russian forces. Hundreds more Ukrainian boys and girls have been killed by this unprovoked war.
It’s not just Ukrainians who are bearing the costs. As Russia falls short of its battlefield aims and is increasingly isolated on the global stage, President Putin has turned to blunter tools to try to peel off support from Ukraine. He’s weaponized energy against European countries standing up to his aggression, raising the costs on families, on businesses, on entire nations.
President Putin is betting that these actions will break the will of countries to stand with Ukraine. He’s betting that the Kremlin can bully other countries into submission. He’s already lost that bet, because the last six and a half months show a growing recognition around the world that while the costs of standing up to the Kremlin’s aggression are high, the costs of standing down would be even higher.
That’s why the United States is doing everything in its power to support people around the world who are shouldering the greatest cost of Russia’s aggression, like our comprehensive efforts to help Europeans get though a winter during which they’ll face heavy energy costs, making it hard for many to heat their homes. We won’t leave our European friends out in the cold.
It’s also an opportunity to make a decisive shift finally – once and for all – away from dependence on Russian energy, which Putin will never stop trying to weaponize to Europe’s detriment; and to make the transition to renewable sources, necessary as well to combat the climate crisis. We can – we will – emerge stronger and in a better place.
And that’s why it’s so vital that we stay the course, that we stay united – united in support of Ukraine, united with our allies and partners, united for as long as it takes. Thank you.
MODERATOR: We’ll take questions now. I see Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (inaudible).
QUESTION: Thanks a lot. Thomas Gutschker, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. My question to you, Secretary Blinken: We’ve seen this astonishing move of Ukrainian forces in the northeast of their country, pushing possibly 50 kilometers into Russian occupied territory. How do you explain that? It appears that the Russian army is hardly even fighting. Is that – is it on the brink of collapse in that area. Do you have an explanation for that? And do you see this potentially as a turning point in this war?
And the question to the Secretary General, if I may: You are constantly making the case for member states to send more ammunition, more arms to Ukraine. One of the replies we are constantly hearing from our defense ministers is that it will compromise capacities that they have pledged to NATO. So, when push comes to shove, and member states do have to make a decision on either supporting Ukraine or holding up their commitments to NATO, what is your suggestion? What’s the right decision to take?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Yeah, so happy to start. Thank you. Let me say two things. First, what we’re seeing is that the counteroffensive that the Ukrainians have put in place with strong systems and backing from many countries is now underway. It’s early days, but it is demonstrably making real progress. It’s focused in the south, around Kherson, in that area. But we’re also seeing Ukraine not only hold the line in the Donbas and in the northeast, but as you noted, make a significant advance moving some 45 to 50 kilometers in one area past what had been the existing Russia line.
I think it’s too early to say exactly where this will go, when it will get there, and exactly where it will end up. But I think we can say that Ukraine is proceeding in a very deliberate way with a strong plan, and critically enabled by resources that many of us are providing.
But fundamentally – and I think this may explain more directly the answer to your question – why am I absolutely confident in the success of the Ukrainians in pushing back the Russian aggression, whether it’s in the northeast, the Donbas, or in the south? For one simple basic reason: This is Ukraine’s homeland, not Russia. People are fighting for their homeland; they’re fighting for their future. And while we can calculate the benefits of weapon systems and financial resources, it’s hard to put a value on that determination to fight for one’s own country, except to say that it’s invaluable and the single biggest difference maker that I think we’ll see play out over the weeks and months ahead.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: NATO has had provided unprecedented support to Ukraine with the weapons, with the ammunition and other capabilities. And of course, they have done that bolstered by reducing existing stocks. And you are right that, of course, our allies are now raising the issue of whether these stocks are depleted too much.
My answer to that is actually twofold. One is to realize that weapons, ammunitions that we are providing to Ukraine are used to stop the aggressive actions of Russia against an independent, sovereign nation in Europe which is a close partner of NATO. And if President Putin wins in Ukraine, it’s not only bad for Ukrainians, but it is also dangerous for all of us. So actually, by ensuring that Russia, that President Putin doesn’t win in Ukraine, we’re also increasing our own security and strengthening the Alliance by proving that we don’t allow that kind of behavior close to our own borders. So, the use of these stocks actually helps to increase our own security and reduce the risk of any aggressive actions by Russia against NATO Ally countries.
Let me also add that more than 80 percent of Russia’s land forces are now dedicated to the war in Ukraine. So for what happens there, not just for the total capacity of Russia to pose any threat to any NATO Ally from here.
So, my first message to the Allies is that we welcome the unprecedented support. We are calling for even more support, and we urge them to dig deeply into the inventories, to the stocks, to continue to provide the supplies that Ukraine need immediately. And we see that this is making a huge difference on the ground, because as Secretary Blinken – Tony – just referred to, there are – we see progress on the ground in Ukraine. But make no mistakes, you have to be prepared for the long haul.
The second answer to the concern about the level of stocks is of course to produce more. Therefore we are now in close contact with the defense industry, with capitals. We have established structures here at NATO on defense planning, on capabilities, to ensure that we are now ramping up production, that we are replenishing the stocks, both to be able to continue to provide support to Ukraine, but this is not only about supporting Ukraine; it’s also about ensuring that we have the weapons, the munitions, the capabilities in place for our own deterrence and defense.
MODERATOR: Okay, with Agence France-Presse.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, Mr. Secretary General. Can I follow up on my colleague’s question a bit on the state of where it is? Russia has just announced that they’re sending reinforcements into the Kharkiv area. How do you see this going? Do you think this is a sign of – how do you see this as a sign in terms of the direction that Russia’s going in? And how do you see this as a – in terms of where it could be seen in Kharkiv?
Could I ask you also, since you’re talking about the Alliance and unity among the – within the Alliance, the question of Turkey. Turkey, there was some concerns raised previously on Sweden and Finland. This past weekend there were comments from President Erdoğan regarding Greece and comments perceived as threatening. How do you see the role of Turkey in this? Do you have any specific reaction to President Erdoğan’s remarks this weekend? Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Shaun, thank you. On the first question, following up on our German colleague, look, the counteroffensive, again, is in its early days, so I don’t want to prejudge, as I said, where it will go and how far it will get. But the initial signs are positive, and we see Ukraine making real, demonstrable progress in a deliberate way.
But fundamentally, what we’re also seeing – and we’ve seen this throughout – even as President Putin threw as much as he could against Ukraine earlier this summer, Ukraine absorbed the blow and now is pushing back, enabled by our partners and allies, the United States.
But the single most important factor, I believe, is this: Ukrainians are fighting for their own country. The Russian forces in Ukraine, many of them have no idea why they’re there. Some didn’t even know where they were being sent. We see reports that their morale is low, and when you don’t know what you’re fighting for, that is something that’s not sustainable.
Now, Russia has significant resources, military resources. It is acting in horrific, indiscriminate ways. Ukrainians are bearing an incredibly heavy cost, as Jens alluded to. Their lives are on the line. And even on the front lines now, in and around the Kherson area – even as they’re making progress, they’re bearing real costs. But fundamentally they are fighting for their own homeland, they’re fighting for their future; the Russian forces in Ukraine are not. And I am convinced that that is the most decisive factor, and we’re seeing some manifestations of that. But this is likely to go on for some significant period of time. There are a huge number of Russian forces that are in Ukraine, and unfortunately, tragically, horrifically, President Putin has demonstrated that he will throw a lot of people into this, at huge cost to Russia, at huge cost to its future.
And let me just add something I’ve said from the beginning. How is what Putin is doing doing anything to improve the lives of the Russian people? How is this helping them? How is this assuring their own future? How is this creating opportunity for them? Not only is it not; it’s doing just the opposite. It’s cutting Russia off from the world. It’s denying opportunity. It’s depleting its resources, resources that could go to help the Russian people. In a closed information society that Putin has created in Russia, that information doesn’t get there as quickly as it otherwise might, but I believe it will. And Russians have to ask themselves why in the world they are losing so many lives trying to take another country that is not theirs.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: Just briefly on that, yes, we see some encouraging signs. The Russian offensive in Donbas has been stalled by the Ukrainian forces, and they are retaking some territory both in the east and in the south. But make no mistake. This can last for long time, and at least we have to be prepared for long haul and be ready to provide support to Ukraine for as long as it takes.
Wars are, by nature, unpredictable; and we know that Russia has a lot of military capabilities, and they are willing to use them to attack a sovereign, independent democratic nation, as we are seeing over the last months in Ukraine.
The first task is actually to be prepared for the winter. The winter is coming, it’s going to be hard, and therefore we need both to continue to supply weapons and ammunition, but also winter clothing, tents, generators, and all the specific equipment which is needed for the winter. Partly because the size of the Ukraine army has just increased so much, they need more of these kind of winter equipment; and NATO is particularly focused on how can we provide tens of thousands of, for instance, winter uniforms to the Ukrainian army.
On Turkey and Greece, Turkey and Greece are two highly valued Allies. They participate and contribute to NATO in many different ways. Any differences between them, of course, should be solved by diplomatic means. We have also at NATO established what we call a deconfliction mechanism where Turkey and Greece can engage and have used this previously to provide information to provide also ways to deconflict any dangerous situation or behavior in, for instance, the Aegean Sea.
MODERATOR: New York Times.
QUESTION: Thank you. I’d like to follow up on Shaun’s – I’d like to follow up on Shaun’s question about Turkey and just press a little bit more. You talked about the importance of unity to the Alliance. President Erdoğan in many ways, not only with this recent threat to Greece, seems to be threatening that unity. He’s talked about another incursion into northeast Syria. He renewed over the summer his threat to block the admission of Sweden and Finland into the Alliance, and then this latest issue with Greece, among others. Just can you talk a little bit more about the effect this has on the unity you say is so crucial?
And specifically Secretary Blinken, I believe I heard you say in your introductory remarks that you’re confident or looking forward to Sweden and Finland being admitted into the Alliance. Can you tell us what your basis for that optimism is given that President Erdoğan, as I said, renewed his threat over the summer to block their admission?
And if I just might briefly ask you to talk a little bit about where things stand with the Iran nuclear negotiations. They appear to have stalled out, perhaps once and for all. Can they be revived? And what comes next? Thank you.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Michael, thank you. And I’m really going to defer to the secretary general on questions fundamentally related to NATO. Let me simply say this.
First, with regard to Finland and Sweden, I think it’s very clear that there is a strong Alliance consensus, strong support for their admission. We’ve seen the ratification of the protocols process move forward with land record speed, and there’s strong support in the United States, of course, from both political parties. I had the honor of depositing the instruments of ratification last month. So I’m very confident that this is moving forward, moving forward deliberately, but I would defer to Jens on anything further on that.
More broadly, I can only repeat what Jens said, for example, about Greece and Turkey – both vital, important Allies, friends of the United States. They have differences, and of course we’d like to see them resolve these differences in a constructive way through dialogue. They’ve done so in the past, and we would expect them to do so going forward.
And it is precisely because we have a fundamental challenge before us when it comes to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, a challenge that matters to every single ally and many countries well beyond the Alliance, well beyond the transatlantic area. And so, we should be making sure that we’re focusing all of our attention and our resources as necessary in supporting Ukraine and pushing back against Russia’s aggression.
Now, what I’ve heard in the room today with all of our NATO partners present was a very strong reaffirmation of that focus, of that unity – unity of purpose, unity of action. President Biden heard that very clearly in the conversation that he initiated just yesterday with many of our partners. Secretary Austin heard that and saw that at Ramstein where for the fifth time this coalition of countries has come together to further support Ukraine. So what I’m seeing as a practical matter is an Alliance that is united and is focused on the biggest challenge that many of our countries face right now.
With regard to Iran and the JCPOA, a few things. First, it’s a negotiation. It’s back and forth. We have a response from Iran to what was put forward most recently by the European Union. We’ve been looking at that along with the European partners, and needless to say, I’m not about to negotiate anything in public. In past weeks, we’ve closed some gaps. Iran had moved away from some extraneous demands, demands unrelated to the JCPOA itself. However, the latest response takes us backwards, and we are not about to agree to a deal that doesn’t meet our bottom line requirements and/or that tries to continuously introduce extraneous demands that are not relevant to the JCPOA itself. If we conclude a deal, it’s only because it will advance our national security. The President is focused on that, and what we’ve just seen again would appear to move us backward, not forward.
SECRETARY GENERAL STOLTENBERG: On differences in NATO – yes, of course, there are differences in NATO. We are 30 different Allies, 30 different democracies, and of course we don’t always agree on all issues. And that has been the case since this Alliance was founded more than 70 years ago, dating back to the Suez Crisis in ’56 or the differences on the Iraq War 20 years ago. And of course, we also see differences today. What makes NATO the most successful alliance in history is that we’re able to overcome those differences, and then make decisions together, and then implement them together.
And we saw that demonstrated at the NATO summit in Madrid just a few months ago. We made big decisions on further increasing our presence in the eastern part of Alliance. We only had 40,000 troops under NATO command as a direct response to the Russian attack on Ukraine. And we have also agreed to strengthen deterrence and defense across the whole Alliance.
We made also the decision to invite Finland and Sweden. That’s an historic decision. And all Allies agreed to invite them. And I also welcome that, so far, this has been the fastest accession process in NATO’s modern history. Up to now, 24 Allies have already ratified, in national parliaments, the accession protocols, and including the U.S. – the United States Senate.
And I also think it’s important to recognize that we have to take the security concerns of all Allies seriously, meaning that we need to address the fact that no other Ally have suffered – has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkey. And therefore, I welcome that as part of the agreement in Madrid – it was a trilateral agreement between Finland, Sweden, and Turkey to strengthen cooperation when it comes to fighting terrorism. They have established a permanent mechanism to exchange more informations, to exchange intelligence, and to work more closely together.
So, I’m confident that we will move forward, and that Finland and Sweden will become members; and so, far this has been the fastest accession protocol process ever in NATO’s history.
MODERATOR: I know there are more questions; unfortunately, we have run out of time, so this concludes this press conference. Thank you.
Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with French, German, and UK Counterparts
09/09/2022
Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with French, German, and UK Counterparts
09/09/2022 02:53 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met virtually while in Brussels today with French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. The Secretary again extended his deepest sympathies to the people of the Commonwealth on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Secretary Blinken also briefed them on his visit to Ukraine, including his discussions with President Zelenskyy and Foreign Minister Kuleba, and our announcement of more than $2.8 billion in additional U.S. military assistance to Ukraine and its neighbors. The participants emphasized the importance of providing further military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and reaffirmed their strong commitment to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as to advance accountability and justice for the victims of Russia’s devastating aggression. They also discussed the challenges posed by Iran and our commitment to working together to address them.
Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Betts’ Travel to Israel
09/09/2022
Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Betts’ Travel to Israel
09/09/2022 07:02 PM EDT
Office of the Spokesperson
Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism Tim Betts will travel to Israel September 9-13. During the trip, he will join Ambassador Nides at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), meet with Israeli counterparts to discuss regional security and counterterrorism cooperation, and deliver remarks at the ICT’s annual summit meeting in Herzliya September 13.
Acting Coordinator’s Betts’ ICT remarks will highlight the United States’ iron-clad security partnership with Israel, the need to implement whole of government approaches to terrorism, and our ongoing efforts to strengthen our partners’ counterterrorism capacities.
For further information, please contact CT_PublicAffairs@state.gov.
Russian Authorities’ Ongoing Harassment of Aleksey Navalny
09/09/2022
Russian Authorities’ Ongoing Harassment of Aleksey Navalny
09/09/2022 07:21 PM EDT
Ned Price, Department Spokesperson
The United States is deeply concerned by the Russian Government’s escalating, arbitrary interference with Aleksey Navalny’s rights. Prison authorities have interfered with Navalny’s preparation of his defense and ability to communicate freely with his counsel, including through supervision of his meetings and imposed delays in the exchanges of documents between Navalny and his lawyers. This interference, along with his repeated diversion to solitary confinement for minor alleged infractions, is further evidence of politically motivated harassment. His arrest upon return to Russia was already shameful, but the Russian Government’s insistence on harassing him further only highlights its insecurity and fear of those who speak the truth. We once again join Navalny’s family, colleagues, and supporters around the world in calling for his immediate release.
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