“We are proud to have supported Ukraine, which has been facing Russian aggression and pressure for years, from the invasion of Crimea to the war in the Donbass. And, of course, Ukraine again had to pass the test just a few weeks ago, this spring, when Russia concentrated its largest force on the Ukrainian border since the 2014 invasion. Mr President, I can tell you that we strongly support you. ”
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At the same time, Blinken emphasized that large Russian forces were still concentrated near the Ukrainian border. That is why the United States continues to follow the fragile situation very closely.
“We expect Russia to stop its reckless and aggressive actions. We will continue to strengthen security cooperation so that Ukraine can protect itself from aggression, “the US Secretary of State emphasized.
Volodymyr Zelensky has called for Ukraine’s accession to NATO to be speeded up, saying it was the only way to end hostilities in eastern Ukraine, where fighting with Russian-backed and armed militant gangs continued.
“The format in which the support is provided is fundamental. We are talking about an alliance and a serious bilateral agreement. It is a question of the future, it is too early to discuss the details, “said Zelensky.
Ukraine has previously expressed hope that it could be invited to join the NATO Membership Action Plan this year, as a first step towards joining the Alliance. Latvia has also expressed support for this, but NATO has been hesitant to make a decision for years.
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