On Wednesday, the United States said that the West’s commitment to back Kyiv in its nine-month struggle against Moscow’s invasion would not be diminished by Russia’s campaign of weeks-long strikes on Ukraine’s essential heating, electrical, and water infrastructure.
Following a two-day NATO meeting in Bucharest, Romania, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken declared at a press conference that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed his “fire and ire” at the civilian population of Ukraine as the bitterly cold winter months came in.
“These are President Putin’s new targets: heat, water, and electricity.
He is striking them firmly. It is cruel that the Ukrainian people are being brutalized “added Blinken.
The senior U.S. ambassador charged Putin of attempting to splinter the Western alliance backing Ukraine as energy costs rise and massive, recurring blackouts affect the country’s citizens.
Blinken declared, “This approach has not worked and will not work.”
“We’ll keep proving him incorrect. I definitely and loudly heard that from every nation in Bucharest.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, advocated for the establishment of a special court to try Russians for crimes against Ukraine.
A court supported by the UN was suggested by Von der Leyen “to examine and prosecute Russia’s crime of aggression.”
The harm caused by Russian military since their invasion of Ukraine in February, according to her, must be paid for by Russia and Russian billionaires.
In Bucharest, during a meeting of the NATO foreign ministers, von der Leyen declared that “Russia’s horrible acts will not go unpunished.”
In blatant defiance of Putin, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared on Tuesday that Ukraine will eventually join the Western military alliance.
“NATO’s door is open,” Stoltenberg declared, reiterating an earlier pledge for Ukraine membership that has lapsed since 2008.
He mentioned that Montenegro and North Macedonia had just joined the main post-World War II military alliance of the West, and that Sweden and Finland will follow suit soon.
According to former Norwegian prime minister Stoltenberg, “Russia does not have a veto” over nations entering.
“We continue to support Ukraine’s membership, too.”
The former prime minister of Norway said, “Putin cannot restrict the ability of other sovereign states to make decisions that do not endanger Russia.
I believe that he is most challenged by his fear of democracy and freedom.”
However, Ukraine will not soon join NATO, which would likely drive the military forces of the alliance’s 30 members into combat with Russian soldiers in accordance with the alliance’s mandate.
It would go well beyond the tens of billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid that the US and its allies have already provided to the Kyiv government in order to support Ukrainian soldiers as they protect their nation.
According to Blinken, in response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure intended to disrupt power and water systems as winter weather sets in, the United States is providing Kyiv an additional $53 million to facilitate the procurement of essential energy grid equipment.
The senior American diplomat announced that distribution transformers, circuit breakers, surge arresters, disconnectors, trucks, and other essential equipment will be transported to Ukraine urgently.
