WASHINGTON, May 12. The United States is doing everything possible to speed up military supplies to Ukraine, including to create a threat to Crimea, and are confident that it is able to hold the front “in the east,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an interview with CBS News.
«We are doing everything we can to expedite assistance. The Europeans are doing the same. I am confident that Ukraine can effectively hold the line in the east,» Blinken said.
In the current “difficult moment,” according to the Secretary of State, Ukraine is also capable of developing its successes in the Black Sea, including by threatening Russian troops in Crimea.
«We're providing the (weapons) systems to do that,» Blinken said.
Earlier this week, the United States allocated another $400 million package of military aid to Ukraine.
In addition, the United States will send almost 61 billion dollars to help Ukraine, of which 23.2 billion — to replenish weapons transferred to it from Pentagon warehouses, 13.8 billion — for military purchases for Ukraine on the open market, 11.3 billion — to support “ongoing US military operations in the region.”
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine interfere with the settlement, directly involve NATO countries in the conflict and are “playing with fire.” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. According to him, the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and other countries. The Kremlin stated that pumping Ukraine up with weapons from the West does not contribute to negotiations and will have a negative effect.