Ukraine’s expected offensive against Russia may not be decisive, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley said on Tuesday, while urging continued support for Kyiv.
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During his visit to Washington, the minister called for increased military support to help Ukraine win as soon as possible, but also warned that one should not have excessive hopes for the upcoming operation.
“They have demonstrated that they are very, very effective defenders of their country, but we have to recognize that there may not be an easy, quick, decisive breakthrough,” Cleverley said at the Atlantic Council. “I hope and expect them to do very, very well, because every time I’ve seen the Ukrainians, they exceed expectations.”
“But we have to be realistic. This is the real world. This is not a Hollywood movie,” Cleverley pointed out.
The minister called on Western countries “to be determined to do what is right”, regardless of the course of the offensive, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “escalating words”.
“There is something immeasurably at stake if we don’t,” he said.
Great Britain has been one of the most active and generous supporters of Ukraine and provided Kyiv with the first Western tanks.
US President Joe Biden’s administration announced on Tuesday that it is granting Ukraine new military aid in the amount of 1.2 billion dollars.
On the other hand, former US President Donald Trump, who is currently the favorite for the Republican nomination for next year’s presidential election, expressed skepticism about aid to Ukraine and predicted Russia’s victory.
Without directly commenting on the 2024 election, Cleverley said it was critical to make a long-term commitment to Ukraine.
“If we signal to the world that we only have about 18 months of endurance, then we are creating a much more dangerous environment for the future,” warned the British foreign secretary.
2023-05-09 19:12:36
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