REPLAY – Blinken holds press conference as NATO allies support grows for Ukraine strikes in Russia

REPLAY – Blinken holds press conference as NATO allies support grows for Ukraine strikes in Russia

US Secretary of State Anthony blinkin is speaking that’s as NATO foreign ministers meet in the Czech Capital meeting of NATO’s foreign ministers in advance of the NATO Summit uh but more important uh to thank them for the remarkable Ally and partner uh that Czech is uh demonstrating over these 25 years of its membership in the alliance how much it contributes to our common defense to our common purpose and to sustaining our common values I also want to thank uh Secretary General stoltenberg said this many times before it Bears repeating his vision his tenacity his leadership of this Alliance during a highly consequential decade has been nothing short of remarkable and he’s got more leadership to do as we get to The Summit in Washington it’s not an overstatement to say that this is a critical moment for transatlantic security we’ve seen in recent weeks Putin ramping up an offensive uh against Ukraine in karke in the Northeast ukrainians continuing to show extraordinary courage in resisting the Russian aggression kremlin’s also been intensifying its hybrid attacks uh against Frontline States NATO members setting fire and sabotaging uh Supply warehouses disregarding seab borders and demarcations in the baltics mounting more and more cyber attacks continuing to spread information I can tell you that in the meeting of foreign ministers today virtually every Ally was seized with this intensification of Russia’s hybrid uh attacks uh we know what they’re up to and we will respond both individually and collectively as necessary more broadly the stakes couldn’t be higher in this moment we know that if Russia’s aggression is allowed to proceed in Ukraine with impunity it will not stop with Ukraine and other wouldbe aggressors in other parts of the world will take note and consider pursuing their own aggressions by continuing to strengthen Ukraine by continuing to show our determination to make sure that it can effectively defend itself we’re also strengthening the security of the United States of Europe of pre countries all around the world uh I was in Kev a couple of weeks ago and one of my messages then was that Ukraine is not alone as the Ukrainian people continue to fight for their freedom for their independence for their prosperity for their Democratic future the future where they decide uh for themselves the trajectory of their country um they’re not alone the United States is with them Ally after Ally in NATO and many countries Beyond are with him as well and I heard that reinforced loudly and clearly today among the NATO allies since Congress passed the president’s supplemental budget request of $60 billion last month with overwhelming bipartisan support in our country we’ve sent assistance surging to the front tens of thousands of artillery rounds thousands of anti-tank mines air defense capabilities already making a difference partners are speeding up their own deliveries to Ukraine doing more than their share we saw yesterday and some of you were were with us uh how czechia is sourcing artillery shells around the world and transferring tanks as well to Ukraine the Netherlands and Germany are contributing additional Patriot air defense systems Sweden is sending $1.3 billion for radar surveillance aircraft artillery shells armored vehicles and the list continues thanks to the extraordinary bravery of the ukrainians and thanks to this enduring strong support from Partners uh the front in the East and Northeast destabilizing and of course Ukraine has made significant gains in the Black Sea pushing back the Russian Fleet allowing Ukraine to continue uh to grow its economy by exporting in fact exporting through the Black Sea uh as much even more than it was before the Russian aggression in February 22 so at this pivotal time the work of the alliance and the NATO Summit itself that will host in Washington uh is I think more important than ever um we look forward to welcoming our NATO allies to Washington and of course it’s the 75th anniversary of the most successful Alliance in history so we will celebrate that fact but even more important we will be focusing on the steps uh we’re taking to ensure that the alliance is fit for purpose for the next 75 years to meet the challenges of today and challenges we anticipate tomorrow uh today we spent um very productive time working to finalize some of the commitments and some of the uh outcomes for the summit uh and I can say that as we stand here and as we’ll see in Washington this Alliance is bigger than it’s ever been with the addition of two new members it’s stronger it’s more resilient and more united um at the summit we’ll be taking concrete steps to bring Ukraine closer to Nato and ensure that there’s a bridge to membership a bridge that’s strong and well lit uh NATO will help build Ukraine’s future force one that can effectively deter aggression and defend against it as necessary uh we’ll Advance Ukraine’s integration with NATO 32 countries are also negotiating individual bilateral security agreements with uh with Ukraine 13 have already been concluded I expect many more will be concluded by the time of the summit we’ll bring them all together to show how powerful that commitment is um at the same time we’re seeing allies stand up to increase burden sharing 2third of allies are now on track to meet the 2% commitment uh and will welcome more back in 2020 11 NATO allies were at 2% of GDP contributed to defense uh By the time of the summit we expect that number will be over 20 we’re also working in the alliance to strengthen the alliance’s collective deterrence and defense we’re ramping up production we’re strengthening our defense industrial bases we’ll have new Regional plans that will spell out how and what allies need to do and will do to protect every inch of NATO territory and we’re deepening cooperation between NATO and critical Partners the European Union Partners in the Indo Pacific uh and here uh just his allies today were seized with the hybrid threat that has grown from Russia um they were also seized with China’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base and as I’ve had occasion to discuss before including in China what we’ve seen from China is not the provision of weapons uh to Russia but the provision of critical inputs that have allowed Russia to uh accelerate its own production of Tanks of missiles of shells 70% of the machine tools that Russia is currently importing are coming from China 90% of the micro electronics that China is importing are coming from China and I heard Ally after Ally today raise their deep concern about this and it only made uh even more clear to me what I shared with Chinese counterparts in in Beijing China cannot expect on the one hand to improve relations with countries of Europe while on the other hand fueling the biggest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War none of us are under any Illusions about the challenges we face today and will continue to face in the days and months ahead but 25 years ago as czechia joined NATO ahead of the alliance’s 50th Anniversary a daughter of proc my friend uh Mentor predecessor mine Albright reminded us that and I quote when we stand together no force on Earth is more powerful than our solidarity on behalf of Freedom that conviction was reinforced for me today by what I heard from all of our allies and I can tell you it will be further reinforced when we come together in Washington it’s been true for the last 75 years uh we’re on track to make sure that is true for the next 75 for the first question we’ll go to Huma pamuk with Reuters hello good afternoon Mr secretary um I have two questions one on Ukraine one on Gaza so the Biden Administration has allowed Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia to defend car do you leave the door open for this decision to be expanded to other cities and targets that are deeper inside Russia and since it took the Biden Administration a while to make this decision I’m wondering do you think you were too cous or has your intelligence assessment on the possibility of Putin using tactical nuclear weapons has shifted and on Gaza the UN said humanitarian Aid going into Gaza has dropped by 2third since Israel began its Rafa offensive your colleague USA administrator Samantha power who’s an export and expert on genocide yesterday said the humanitarian conditions in Gaza were Now worse than ever on April the 4th President Biden conditioned US military aid to Israel on Improvement of the aid situation among other things so I’m wondering why isn’t the current dire picture in Gaza triggering a bigger policy shift thank you great thanks so with regard to uh the use of us Arms by Ukraine and Russia um I said this the other day the Hallmark of our engagement our support for Ukraine over these more than two years has been to adapt and adjust as necessary to meet what’s actually going on on the Battlefield to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs uh when it needs it um to do that deliberately and effectively and that’s exactly what we’re doing in response to what we’ve now seen in uh in and around the kke region um over the past few weeks Ukraine came to us and asked for the authorization uh to uh use weapons that we’re providing to defend against this aggression including against Russian forces that are massing on the Russian side of the border and then attacking into Ukraine uh and uh that went right to the president and as you’ve heard he’s approved the use of our weapons for that uh for that purpose um going forward we’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing which is as necessary uh adapt and adjust and that as I said has been a Hallmark of our engagement uh it will uh continue to be uh as I’ve also said many many times we want want to make sure that we’re proceeding um deliberately uh as well as effectively so I think time and again we’ve um adapted we’ve adjusted we’ve provided Ukraine with the systems the weapons that it’s needed but again as I’ve shared with you many times before for example when it comes to weapon systems we also want to make sure that they have the necessary training to use the weapons and they have the necessary capacity to maintain them so you have to look at this in a in a comprehensive way and uh I think if you look back as as well as look at what we’re doing now uh it reflects very deliberate determination to make sure that we’re getting Ukraine what they need when they need it uh with regard to Gaza and the humanitarian situation um the humanitarian situation remains dire for people in Gaza we’ve seen changes uh some positive changes but the net effect uh is not there the positive changes are that of course Crossings in the north have been opened uh in recent weeks including U zakim uh we have a route from Jordan that is getting uh trucks in if you look at the number of trucks that are actually getting to Gaza and going in it’s up significantly but distribution within Gaza is not working effectively and part of the reason for that uh are the uh the combat operations in the south in addition Rafa gate continues to be closed uh President Biden secured an agreement with Egypt with Israel to make sure that Goods could go through Kem Shalom including Goods coming from Egypt but Rafa remains closed uh and that’s a real problem so the the focus that we have continue to have and are working on intensely every day is again making sure that we’re not just measuring inputs we’re measuring impact and yes the impact remains insufficient in terms of uh addressing the acute needs of children women and Men uh in Gaza uh but it’s a moving story every day as we’re working intensely to make sure that the different access points are working and then distribution within Gaza is working more effectively um and that’s what we’re we’re focused onist on it then why why wouldn’t you use that leverage United States provides almost 70% of isra’s weapons that gives it a big leverage and President Biden specifically conditioned it on this and other things why would you use that the the issue is uh the conditions are such that the the effective distribution of Aid is being uh is being impeded and that’s what we’re working on trying to make sure that the that the conditions are there and there are ways of uh of doing this much more effectively we’re trying to get the results that’s what I’m focused on for the next question Henry Foy with the financial times uh thank you very much Mr secretary we know that Ukraine hopes and in some regards expects an invitation to join NATO uh this NE at the summit we also know that your Administration and other countries are opposed to that this summer as such what tangible real things can you offer both you as the US and NATO Ukraine to ease that disappointment and avoid the sense of them feeling let down again uh and the response that we saw from ke in v in vilus to that thank you thank you well uh as uh the Allies agreed and made clear at uh at vus the last Summit uh Ukraine will become a member of NATO and our purpose now is to put in place the bridge to bring Ukraine closer to and then ultimately into NATO uh and as I’ve said it’s a bridge that uh I think as you’ll see emerge at the summit that’s both very strong very well lit um there will be a robust package of support for Ukraine at the at the summit uh a package that strengthens um NATO’s cooperation and support for Ukraine that advances Ukraine’s integration uh into NATO uh tangible steps that will increase NATO’s role in helping Ukraine build a a future force one that can deter and defend against uh aggression at the same time you’re going to see I think the uh completion of these bilateral security agreements 32 countries that um are engaged in doing that I expect all of that to come together at the summit as well uh and that will help ensure that Ukraine is properly resourced to continue to defend itself but this is a this is a process and we’re proceeding very methodically and proceeding in a way that is delivering practical benefits to Ukraine including advancing its membership to Nato in very um clear and practical ways John Hudson with the Washington Post uh thanks uh Mr secretary you don’t do domestic politics uh but you do good thank you uh but you do represent the United States on the world stage uh what are you hearing from foreign counterparts about the guilty verdict in the Trump trial um I really have nothing to share on that uh we have uh uh diplomatic conversations that will remain just that diplomatic conversations and private uh and former president Trump’s trial was defined by his efforts to castigate and delegitimize a court of law does that give you any pause about how the Biden Administration has responded to another court of law the international criminal court as well as the international court of justice with regards to Gaza I’m not going to comment on the uh the first part of your question because as I’ve long said I don’t do politics I do policy with regard to policy and the um and the ICC look we’ve been very clear about this the decision that the prosecutor made was in our judgment profoundly wrong-headed uh and in creating an equation between um Hamas and uh and Israel hamas’s leaders and Israel’s democratically elected leaders as we said and as I’ve said it’s quite frankly shameful the reality is that the court was uh created for a a very good reason to be a a court of last resort uh one that would swing into action where a country either couldn’t or wouldn’t effectively police itself uh and so the principle of what’s called complimentarity is at the heart of the Court’s creation and what it does uh and in Israel you have a vibrant independent and very active Judicial System uh and in the case of Gaza uh as well uh there are many incidents that are under investigation including some under criminal investigation there’s a case right now before the Israeli Supreme Court about the alleged denial of humanitarian assistance uh for for gazin uh and so Israel uh and its system its democratic system independent courts and judges as well as a military uh justice system that can effectively investigate any uh allegations of of abuse that should be allowed to run uh its course and given that uh never mind the the fact that uh we don’t uh accept the jurisdiction of the Court over Israel but leaving that aside um Israeli Justice should be allowed to run its course finally uh I think it’s very deeply unfortunate that um Israel was prepared to cooperate with the investigation even while rejecting the jurisdiction of of the Court uh and yet the prosecutor chose not to pursue that cooperation and just lastly the Kremlin has put out a statement saying that the trial shows the White House is eliminating Biden’s political Rivals um you know this they’re trying to use this as a way to bmer the American legal system how do you respond to that I would say That’s a classic case of projection and for the last question Alexander vanon Naman with deel thank you very much secretary you’ve mentioned China uh and how they are propping up the Russian war economy and Yan stolen said today as well that uh without the deliveries from China Russia would not have been able to conduct the war against Ukraine the way they do so is there anything you can do about it and if yes what are you planning to do about that thank you yes uh again this is something that um Ally after Ally was seized with today I heard it from virtually everyone in the room um we’ve already taken action against Chinese entities that have been involved in sanctions evasion involved in uh supporting Russia’s uh defense industrial base including sanctioning more than I think now more than a 100 Chinese entities of one kind or another and as I’ve made made clear as necessary we will continue to do that um from what I heard today Europeans are also very seized with this and I would expect uh to see actions taken by uh by Europeans uh by Europe and again I come back to this proposition that’s so clear um Russia uh getting this support from China is as Secretary General said a huge differen maker right now uh on the battlefield and for China to purport to have better relations with countries in Europe while fueling this what I believe is the biggest threat and what Europeans believe is the biggest threat to their security since the end of the Cold War does not add up and uh I think that uh will continue to have consequences going forward thank you thank you all all right that was us Secretary of State Anthony blinkin speaking in Prague as NATO foreign ministers meet in the Czech Capital it comes a day after the US gave keave the green light to use American Munitions to strike inside Russia for the purpose of defending the northeastern city of harke now blinkin said that Russia is intensifying hybrid attacks against Frontline States in that context blinkin said that this Summer’s NATO Summit in Washington as the alliance marks its 75th anniversary is more important than ever he also said that they would take concrete steps at that Summit to bring Ukraine closer to Nato and to ensure that Ukraine has a bridge to Nato membership well for some analysis on what we’ve been hearing we can bring in political analyst Alexandra filipenko who joins us from the Lithuanian capital thank you so much for taking the time to listen to Anthony blinkin along with us and to speak with us today first your reaction to what we’ve just heard from the Secretary of State thank you Allison thank you for having me I think the most important thing that we’ve heard is that what secretary blinkin said about adapting and adjusting to what is happening on the battlefield we’ve heard this sentiment from the White House before but uh Anthony blinkin again said that uh the White House and of course the state department can change it position on Ukraine and can change it position on using American weapons in Ukraine and I think it’s not by accident that Anthony blinkin talked quite a lot about China and uh because today we learn that China will not take part in the piss Summit on Ukraine and Switzerland and China’s foreign Ministry uh talked about it and it he confirmed that the country will not take part in the piss Summit and Anthony blinkin talked a lot about China and China’s role in helping out Russia and being Russia’s Ally in this war in Ukraine and uh it looks like uh Anthony blinkin tried not to answer one question if uh the understanding of Russian uh military Doctrine uh Russian actually uh nuclear Doctrine has shifted in the white house but it it looks like it did uh I think that we are just seeing uh the fact that it actually did without Anthony blinkin actually answering this question and saying this because uh we’ve seen that there has been a successful Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian radar station it’s a part of the Russian missile warning system and according to Russian nuclear Doctrine if there is an attack on the Russian missile warning system Russia can launch a targeted uh nuclear attack but Russia pretend it as it didn’t notice it and no Russian official press Russian official state agencies they didn’t even comment on that so it looks like um before only ukrainians were not worried about a Russian nuclear strike because they didn’t believe it would happen and now the White House also doesn’t believe that it would happen and blinkin also kind of wouldn’t say at this point whether or not Washington would expand uh Ukraine’s ability to attack within Russian territory as of now you know they’re only supposed to use Us weapons defending har uh but that could potentially change in the future he’s he suggested what do you make of Washington’s change in policy uh in allowing uh American weapons to be used in Ukraine you know before they were concerned that that that could lead to an escalation is that still a concern of course of course the White House is concerned of the it’s concerned with the escalation but it looks like this limited purpose as of now they’re saying they are allowing it to be used for a limited purpose of Defending harke but uh again adjusting and adapting to what’s happening on the front lines it doesn’t look like uh the White House is going to stop right now and right here so U looks like Anthony blinkin is uh just voicing what is now being discussed in the White House and although there are concerns the White House is ready to answer to those attacks by Russia and is ready to defend Ukraine even more than before there was also a lot of talk of this Summer’s NATO Summit now Vladimir zlinsky has said that that Summit needs to address Ukraine’s invitation to become a member blinkin said that they would take concrete steps to bring Ukraine closer to Nato does it sound like they’re actually considering taking the step of membership or or did you hear something a bit non-committal uh in what Anthony blinkin said it mostly looks like again those talks about being a possib this being a possibility but it doesn’t look like there is an actual possibility at least in the foreseeable future because uh and the Office of the President zalinski repeatedly has said that they do not want to enter NATO do not want to enter the alliance in as a limited territory uh because part of Ukraine is occupied is still occupied by Russia and they want to enter Ukraine as a a freed country uh but this is not what not something that NATO can allow right now because of course this will really mean um actual war between Russia and NATO this is how Russia tried to present this war Russia has been saying that this fullscale invasion of Ukraine is actually war with NATO with the collective West as Russian officials usually like to put it but NATO didn’t want to show this war as a act War Russia with NATO of course because this is a war of Ukraine with Russia of two independent states so uh for now I think there is not much possibility that uh Ukraine can become part of NATO in the foreseeable future but this is of course a very important point that Ukraine is becoming such a close Ally of NATO and finally Alexandra how are we seeing Russia react to all of the latest elment well as we’ve been seeing a Russian reaction through um Dimitri meddev for example who was Russia’s president and now we can rather call him a blogger I would suggest and he’s been very strong with uh his suggestions he suggested that Russia should bomb uh NATO countries and should retaliate in this manner but those threats of nuclear attack we must actually look at what is really happening yes Russia is first among nuclear weapon states with more than 5,000 nuclear warheads but of these only about 1,600 are deployed and this didn’t change this didn’t change since 2021 this didn’t change now nothing is actually changing in the Russian nuclear Doctrine Russia is actually not ready to use nuclear weapons but the talks of using nuclear weapons are all over Russian State media and of course Russian officials are also using it as a talking point because they know that the west and the United States are really afraid of it and they try to keep United States and the West afraid of it although now it looks like just like ukrainians the West is not worried anymore about a Russian nuclear strike all right Alexandra thank you so much again for your analysis today that’s political analyst Alexandra filipenko joining us there from the Lithuanian capital

US President Joe Biden approved Ukraine using US weapons to strike targets inside Russia that were attacking the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, after Kyiv sought authorisation from Washington in recent weeks, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Friday. Speaking at a news conference in Prague after an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers, Blinken did not specifically say whether Biden’s authorisation could expand to include other Russian cities and targets that are deeper inside Russia.
#Ukraine #NATO #replay

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