Earlier today, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukraine's top leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to affirm U.S. support for Ukraine in its dispute with Russia, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and is occupying much of eastern Ukraine with its irregular forces. In a clear contrast with the twice-impeached "former guy" who tried to extort political dirt on then-candidate Joe Biden and his son from Zelenskyy in exhange for weaponry, Blinken made it clear that Ukraine's sovereignty was a top priority:
"By visiting so early in his tenure, before any trip to Russia, Blinken signaled that Ukraine is a high foreign-policy priority for President Joe Biden’s administration. His visit was highly anticipated in Ukraine, with hopes for increased military aid and strong support for NATO membership being voiced on the frontlines of the battle against Russia-backed separatists in the east and in the halls of government in Kyiv." (our emphasis)
The Biden Administration is sending a clear signal to Russian thug and autocrat Vladimir Putin that his manipulation of the former guy to the detriment of Ukraine is over. For his part, Zelenskyy pushed for expedited consideration of membership in both the European Union and NATO as a bulwark against Russian expansionism. While Russia recently withdrew a number of its forces from the border with Ukraine, a significant number remain. Some 14,000 people have been killed in the conflict with Russia since 2014.
(photo: Blinken, center, with Ukrainian Church Metropolitan Epiphanius, left, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba lay flowers at the Memorial Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine in Russian-Ukrainian War in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP Photo / Efrem Lukatsky, Pool)
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