U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Ukraine and its NATO allies on Wednesday that Washington remains committed to putting Ukraine “in the strongest possible position” in the final months of President Joe Biden’s administration, before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
At the same time, the United States expressed alarm about Russia possibly bolstering North Korea’s capabilities, including its “nuclear capacity.”
“President Biden has committed to making sure that every dollar we have at our disposal will be pushed out the door between now and January 20th,” Blinken told reporters at NATO headquarters on Wednesday.
“We’re making sure that Ukraine has the air defenses it needs, that has the artillery it needs, that has the armored vehicles it needs,” he added.
Blinken told VOA he expects U.S. allies’ support for Ukraine to increase and emphasized that it’s critical for Washington’s partners to “continue to more than pick up their share of the burden.”
Speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Blinken reiterated that Washington will “continue to shore up everything” to enable Ukraine to defend itself effectively against Russian aggression.
Rutte and other European leaders voiced serious concerns over North Korea’s active support for Russia in its war on Ukraine.
“These North Korean soldiers present an extra threat to Ukraine and will increase the potential for Putin to do harm,” Rutte told reporters.
The U.S. State Department had disclosed that over 10,000 North Korean troops have been deployed to eastern Russia, and most of them have moved to the far western Kursk oblast.
On Wednesday, Blinken described the military collaboration between Pyongyang and Moscow as “a two-way street.”
“There is deep concern about what Russia is or may be doing to strengthen North Korea’s capacities: its missile capacity, its nuclear capacity,” as well as the battlefield experience North Korean forces are gaining, he told reporters.
In Brussels, Blinken held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, and Britain’s foreign secretary, David Lammy, among others.
In Washington, officials say President Biden is expected to ask President-elect Trump not to walk away from Ukraine during their talks at the White House Wednesday.
Trump’s political allies have indicated that the incoming administration will prioritize achieving peace in Ukraine over enabling the country to reclaim Crimea and other territories occupied by Russia.
