U.K.’s foreign minister visiting U.S., Canada to bolster military support for Ukraine – National | 24CA News

British Foreign Minister James Cleverly on Tuesday stated the NATO allies are boosting arms provides to Kyiv to reveal their dedication to see Ukraine prevail in opposition to Russia, which ought to finish the battle now and open negotiations “in good faith.”

“The message we’re sending to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and frankly to anyone else that cares to be watching is that we made a commitment to support Ukrainians until they are victorious,” Cleverly instructed a discussion board on the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

Cleverly spoke to the U.S. suppose tank forward of conferences with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and different prime U.S. officers on rising assist for Ukraine because the battle ignited by Russia’s invasion nears its eleventh month.

He was to journey to Canada for comparable discussions after his Washington go to.

Cheverly’s journey follows Britain’s announcement through the weekend that it’ll provide Ukraine with 14 Challenger 2 most important battle tanks – the primary trendy Western tanks to be promised to Kyiv – and different heavy weaponry.

That determination got here after France, the United States and Germany introduced they have been offering armored automobiles and different arms to Kyiv.

The British determination has intensified strain on Germany to ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. But Berlin says such tanks must be provided to Ukraine provided that there may be settlement amongst Kyiv’s most important allies, notably the United States.

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Now is the time to step up army help to Ukraine as a result of Russian forces are “on the backfoot,” stated Cleverly, referring to Ukrainian drives since final summer season which have retaken greater than half of the territory seized by Moscow.

Russia largely has been bolstering defensive strains in southern Ukraine and within the jap Donbas area, the place it just lately made advances in a months-long bloody slog to seize town of Bakhmut.

Ukraine wants “the ability to push back hard in the east and in the south,” Cleverly stated.

“The best thing” that Putin “can do to preserve the lives of his own troops is to recognize that we’re gonna stick with Ukrainians until they are victorious, and bring this war to a conclusion and get around the negotiating table in good faith,” he stated.

The British overseas ministry stated Cleverly would additionally increase the subject of Iran together with his U.S. and Canadian counterparts after Britain briefly recalled its ambassador following the execution of British-Iranian nationwide Alireza Akbari on Saturday.
— Reporting by Jonathan Landay and Arshad Mohammad in Washington and Alistair Smout in London; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Jonathan Oatis

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