Blinken says Putin has ‘already failed’ in strategic objective to end Ukraine's independence
- 2 years ago
QUESTION: Here with me now exclusively is the U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. Thank you so much for joining us, Mr. Secretary. Appreciate it.
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, Jake.
QUESTION: So we’re here at the G7. France and the UK, who are here, as well as other world leaders from Belgium to Mexico to Chile, have all expressed concern about what the U.S. Supreme Court did on Friday reversing Roe v. Wade. They say it sends the wrong signal globally. What signal does it send?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Jake, I’m not in the habit of commenting on Supreme Court decisions, getting into U.S. politics. This is one occasion where I did because there are so many questions being asked around the world, questions being asked by our workforce. So I put out a statement to make it clear that we’re going to continue to do the work that we’re doing around the world to advance access to reproductive health services for women and girls around the world, and at the same time, make it clear to our own employees that, consistent with the law, we will do everything we can to make sure that they have access as well no matter where they live.
QUESTION: Including if – as many businesses are saying they’re going to do, paying for their travel to states where they can get abortions if they want one?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are looking into whatever we can do consistent with the law to make sure that irrespective of where any of our people live, they have access to reproductive health care services.
QUESTION: So there are a lot of things that you’re focusing on here, but one of them is Ukraine and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And Russia does appear to be edging closer to taking over all of the Luhansk region – Sievierodonetsk has fallen, apparently. And just overnight, many missiles were launched at Kyiv, including residential areas. Russia state media says the Russian defense minister just visited Russian troops in Ukraine. Is Russia winning?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jake, let’s not confuse the tactical with strategic. When it comes to Putin’s strategic objectives, he’s already failed. His strategic objective was to end Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, to erase it from the map, to subsume it in Russia. That has failed, and a sovereign, independent Ukraine is going to be around a lot longer than Vladimir Putin is on the scene. Meanwhile, there is a tactical, ferocious battle going on in eastern Ukraine with the Russian aggression, with Ukrainian forces pushing back, and that line has shifted. There are gains one way, gains another way, but what’s really important is the strategic proposition that Putin will not succeed in what he’s tried to achieve.
Not only that, he’s also tried to divide NATO. We’re about to go to a NATO Summit where the Alliance is going to show greater unity, greater strength than in my memory. In Ukraine itself, here at this meeting of the G7, as well as at NATO, we will continue to do collectively everything we ca
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Thanks, Jake.
QUESTION: So we’re here at the G7. France and the UK, who are here, as well as other world leaders from Belgium to Mexico to Chile, have all expressed concern about what the U.S. Supreme Court did on Friday reversing Roe v. Wade. They say it sends the wrong signal globally. What signal does it send?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, Jake, I’m not in the habit of commenting on Supreme Court decisions, getting into U.S. politics. This is one occasion where I did because there are so many questions being asked around the world, questions being asked by our workforce. So I put out a statement to make it clear that we’re going to continue to do the work that we’re doing around the world to advance access to reproductive health services for women and girls around the world, and at the same time, make it clear to our own employees that, consistent with the law, we will do everything we can to make sure that they have access as well no matter where they live.
QUESTION: Including if – as many businesses are saying they’re going to do, paying for their travel to states where they can get abortions if they want one?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: We are looking into whatever we can do consistent with the law to make sure that irrespective of where any of our people live, they have access to reproductive health care services.
QUESTION: So there are a lot of things that you’re focusing on here, but one of them is Ukraine and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And Russia does appear to be edging closer to taking over all of the Luhansk region – Sievierodonetsk has fallen, apparently. And just overnight, many missiles were launched at Kyiv, including residential areas. Russia state media says the Russian defense minister just visited Russian troops in Ukraine. Is Russia winning?
SECRETARY BLINKEN: Jake, let’s not confuse the tactical with strategic. When it comes to Putin’s strategic objectives, he’s already failed. His strategic objective was to end Ukraine’s sovereignty and independence, to erase it from the map, to subsume it in Russia. That has failed, and a sovereign, independent Ukraine is going to be around a lot longer than Vladimir Putin is on the scene. Meanwhile, there is a tactical, ferocious battle going on in eastern Ukraine with the Russian aggression, with Ukrainian forces pushing back, and that line has shifted. There are gains one way, gains another way, but what’s really important is the strategic proposition that Putin will not succeed in what he’s tried to achieve.
Not only that, he’s also tried to divide NATO. We’re about to go to a NATO Summit where the Alliance is going to show greater unity, greater strength than in my memory. In Ukraine itself, here at this meeting of the G7, as well as at NATO, we will continue to do collectively everything we ca