By ELLEN KNICKMEYER
ASPEN, Colorado (AP) – Ukraine is on its solution to with the ability to “stand on its own two feet” militarily, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday, noting that greater than 20 other countries committed to maintaining its own military and financial assistance for the country, even when the US under a distinct president were to withdraw its support.
Blinken addressed for the primary time directly the likelihood that former President Donald Trump could win the elections in November and abandon its commitments to Ukraine. The US, under President Joe Biden, is a very powerful supporter of the greater than two-year-old Fighting invading Russian forces.
Trump’s public statements varied between criticism of US support for Ukraine’s defense and support for it, while his Vice-presidential candidate, Senator JD Vancewas a frontrunner of the Republicans Efforts to dam the billions of US military and financial support for Ukraine because the Russian invasion in 2022.
Concerns amongst Ukraine and its supporters that the country could lose crucial US support have increased, Trump's election campaign gains momentum And Biden's stumble.
Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke on the phone on Friday.
“I noted the important bipartisan and bicameral American support for protecting our country's freedom and independence,” Zelensky wrote on X, saying that they had agreed to “discuss at a personal meeting what steps can enable a just and truly lasting peace.”
Trump said on his social media platform that he appreciated Zelensky's commitment and promised to “end the war that has cost so many lives and destroyed countless innocent families.”
Blinken said Friday that any latest administration must have in mind the strong bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress to counter Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempts to expand Moscow's territory and influence.
“Every administration, of course, has the ability to determine its own policies. We cannot dictate the future,” Blinken told an audience of U.S. politicians and others on the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.
However, he pointed to the safety agreements that the United States and greater than 20 other allies – including some NATO partners, Japan and the European Union – signed at a NATO summit in Washington this month.
“If we were to move away from that … I suppose that's possible, but fortunately there are about 20 other countries doing the same thing,” Blinken said.
Ukraine itself is on a course to be sure that it stands by itself two feet militarily, economically and democratically, Blinken said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also made similar appeals to the international community on Friday during an internet query and answer session on the social media site Reddit. He particularly stressed Kyiv's willingness to cooperate with whichever party wins the US elections.
“I believe any U.S. administration should respect three characteristics that distinguish Ukraine from other American partners who have asked for its support,” he said.
“We never asked U.S. troops to fight and die for Ukraine. We only asked for weapons and support for our economy. We never intended to rely on foreign aid indefinitely. That is why we are reforming our economy and last year we tripled domestic weapons production. This year we plan to increase it sixfold. And we are completely transparent about how we use U.S. aid.”
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Associated Press author Katie Marie Davies in Manchester, England, contributed to this report.
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