Blinken Calls Russia's Withdrawal from Ukraine a Prerequisite for Just and Lasting Peace

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that a ceasefire agreement in the Ukraine war can only be realized as part of a "just and lasting" peace that includes the military withdrawal of Russia. He stated that a ceasefire that merely changes the status of the war and allows Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, to "consolidate his control over the territories he has seized, give himself the opportunity to rearm and attack again, will not lead to a just and lasting peace." According to the Associated Press, Blinken made these remarks during a speech while visiting Finland, which has recently joined NATO and has a long border with Russia. He added that Russia must also contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine and be held accountable for initiating a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. Blinken emphasized that allowing Moscow to retain one-fifth of the occupied Ukrainian territory sends the wrong message to Russia and to "other potential aggressors around the world." However, Russia is seeking dialogue regarding Ukraine's request to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has stressed the necessity of his country's membership in the Western military alliance, which the Kremlin views as a threat. Blinken stated that Washington is ready to support the peace efforts of other countries, including China and Brazil, but any peace agreement must uphold the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine. China claims to be neutral and wants to act as a mediator, but has provided political support to Moscow and on Friday urged Kyiv's allies to stop sending weapons to Ukraine. The United States is the main Western ally and arms supplier to Kyiv to help repel Kremlin forces. The U.S. Secretary of State emphasized enhancing Ukraine's military capabilities to the level of NATO member countries. Ukraine has shot down dozens of Russian drones; Zelensky met with Ilham Aliyev; Sweden will soon join NATO; President Joe Biden announced a Russian attack on Kyiv on World Children's Day, which killed a child and her mother; a meeting of European leaders in Moldova emphasized the importance of Ukraine joining NATO.