Blinken in Brussels as Ukraine faces uncertainty with Trump’s return

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Brussels on Wednesday for urgent discussions with EU and NATO officials aimed at increasing support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.

Blinken held separate meetings with the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The talks come at a crucial time as officials anticipate a shift in US policy on Ukraine and NATO once Donald Trump returns to the White House.

With just months left in President Joe Biden’s term, Democrats are pushing to implement as many of their priorities as possible while they still hold a majority in the Senate.

Blinken assured his counterparts that the US is committed to boosting military aid to Ukraine in the final weeks of Biden’s presidency.

During his visit, Borrell expressed his appreciation for Blinken’s support, particularly during such “troubled times.” He added, “Now we should be able to make the war stop in a just manner for the Ukrainians.”

Blinken responded, saying he was “grateful” to work with Borrell and highlighted the strong collaboration between the EU and the US.

Blinken also outlined plans for additional US support to Ukraine before the end of January.

“We’ve obligated just recently and pushed out the door another $8 billion in security assistance for Ukraine. That was in September. Another almost half a billion dollars just a few weeks ago,” he said.

“President Biden is 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.

NATO Chief Mark Rutte also emphasised that instability across Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific is increasingly interconnected. He pointed out that Moscow is buying dual-use goods from China and drone technology from Iran, showing the broader global implications of the conflict.