US wants to see a weakened Russia, so it never invades again: Pentagon Chief

Europe, News, US April 26, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Washington’s top diplomat and defense chief made their first official visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion started in February 2022.

The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Poland on April 25. On the following day, they took a train into Ukraine, becoming the highest-level U.S. officials to visit Ukraine since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started.

In Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd AustinThey met with the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv and also held meetings with other top Ukrainian officials. Due to security reasons, the details of the trips were not announced before the trip was concluded.

After holding the meeting with the Ukrainian president, Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin traveled back to Poland and participated in a press briefing.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin termed his trip to be ‘very productive’. During the press briefing in Poland, he said that “Our focus in the meeting was to talk about those things that would enable us to win the current fight and also build for tomorrow.”

*^{Lloyd Austin, third left, and Antony Blinken, fourth left, meet with Volodymyr Zelenskiyyr in Kyiv, on April 24, 2022. (Image Credit: Ukrainian Presidency/Bloomberg)}*

Austin added that he hopes to see the international community and especially the NATO alliance to be more united against Russia’s aggression. He pointed out that the sanctions imposed on Russia by the U.S. and its allies are an example that how the war in Ukraine has made the western alliance more unified and stronger.

While speaking to the press in a hangar filled with humanitarian aid supplies for Ukraine, Austin said: “We want to see Russia weakened to the degree that it can’t do the kinds of things that it has done in invading Ukraine.”

The Pentagon chief further added that U.S. officials believe Ukraine can win this war if they are provided with the “right equipment” and “right support”. He also announced a $713 million military for Ukraine and other European nations to support their fight against Russia.

On April 26, President Biden announced that he intends to nominate Bridget Brink to be appointed as the next U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. The announcement came after the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the press in Poland about a gradual return of U.S. diplomats back to Kyiv including the appointment of a new U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.

*^{Ukrainian soldiers use a launcher with US Javelin missiles during military exercises in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, December 23, 2021. (Image Credit: Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Service)}*

Biden also said at first the diplomats would start making day trips into Ukraine from Poland, and as things get better, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv would be fully functional again. While speaking about the sluggish progress of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he stated that “In terms of Russia’s war aims, Russia has already failed and Ukraine has already succeeded,” Blinken said during his press briefing in Poland.

Biden’s nominee Bridget Brink is currently serving as the U.S. ambassador in Slovakia. As stated by Secretary Blinken, Bridget Brink is “deeply experienced in the region” and “will be a very strong representative for the United States in Ukraine.”

Ukraine has not had a U.S. ambassador since 2019 when President Donald Trump removed Marie Yovanovitch from the position.