Brussels 13.11.2024 Today the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is engaged in emergency talks with European allies in Brussels to clarify how to continue military support to Ukraine in the new frame of the Republican presidency.

During the short visit the Secretary of state’s will meet with NATO chief Mark Rutte, European Union top diplomat Josep Borrell, his successor Kaja Kallas and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga.

The emergency trip comes as Trump’s election victory, and with a political crisis in Germany, heightens concerns about the future of the military assistance for Ukraine as a key element for the Alliance expansion to Ukraine, and Georgia, promised at Bucharest NATO Summit in 2008.

President-elect Donald Trump has been vague when discussing the conflict between Russian, and Ukraine over NATO expansion. Some high-profile allies have put forward a peace proposals that would in practice result in long-term Russian dominance over areas that are internationally recognized as Ukrainian territory.
Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula in 2014 after Maidan revolution, which opened opportunities to organize referendum there. At present, in more than two and a half years after launching its full-fledged invasion, Russian forces hold just under 20% of Ukraine’s territory, due to a massive engagement of NATO in support of Ukraine’s leadership aspirations to become the 33-d ally.

“…The US continued over the last four years to help NATO, to do more on burden-sharing, to increase spending, also on the European and Canadian side of NATO” said NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte while greeting the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“Two new members have joined the Alliance in the last couple of years.

“And maybe most importantly also, thanks to American leadership, Ukraine has prevailed and Russia has not won.
And obviously we have to do more to make sure that Ukraine can stay in the fight and is able to roll back as much as possible the Russian onslaught and to prevent Putin from being successful in Ukraine.

“Particularly, this is something we also discussed this morning, because now with the North Koreans being active in [the war against] Ukraine. And this is coming at a cost.

“Of course, these North Korean soldiers present an extra threat to Ukraine and will increase the potential for Putin to do harm.
“But at the same time, he has to pay for this, and he is paying for this by technology, for example, missile technology going to North Korea. And that is presenting a threat not only to the European side of NATO, but also to the U.S. mainland, to South Korea to Japan.
“And it’s not just North Korea being active. We know for some time that China, through sanction circumvention, through dual-use goods being delivered into Russia, is helping the war effort.

“And of course, Iran is doing this through drone technology and other deliveries into Russia. And here, Russia is paying in money, and this helps Iran to continue its efforts to destabilise the Middle East and even beyond the Middle East.

“So what you see here, and this is what we discussed this morning, that the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific: these are not two separate theatres. This is all getting more and more combined.

“And what is happening in Ukraine has an impact now globally. And that means that we have to stay the course, that we have to ramp up defence production on the US side here in Europe. That we have to do more in terms of spending, and that we have to do more to make sure that Ukraine can prevail.

“But again, Tony, you have been four years in this role. You have been a huge support for NATO. You have visited many times. You have many friends here. I really want to thank you for your leadership, of course so far, but also over the next two months. We will need you in that role. Thank you for being here and being the man you are”.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken travels to Brussels, Belgium for meetings with his NATO and European Union counterparts to discuss support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression on November 12-13. Secretary Blinken will then travel to Lima, Peru, Manaus, Brazil, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to join President Joseph R. Biden at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week and the G20 Leaders’ Summit, November 14-19. In Lima, Secretary Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai will engage with counterparts from APEC member economies at the APEC Ministerial Meeting under the theme “Empower. Include. Grow.” President Biden and Secretary Blinken will reaffirm the United States’ commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive growth and empowering communities across the Asia-Pacific region.