Blinken Claims Zelensky Takes Threat to Ukraine Seriously, But Does Not Want People to Panic
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WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is taking the threat of invasion of his country seriously, but he does not want the people to panic, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.
"I think President Zelensky is taking it very seriously. He's trying to maintain calm. He doesn't want his people to panic," Blinken said. "That's the right thing to do. But I think the Ukrainians are taking it very seriously."
Blinken reiterated that if there is an invasion, the consequences would be terrible first and foremost for the Ukrainian people, but the United States has been and still stands ready to assist Ukraine.
"We have been supporting Ukraine," he said. "We've provided more defensive assistance to Ukraine last year than we did in any previous year. Just the other day, we put out a $1 billion loan guarantee to help bolster their economy. Other countries are doing the same. We're there to support Ukraine. We're there to help it defend itself if there's Russian aggression."
Ukraine and several Western countries have been accusing Russia of a military build-up along the Ukrainian border in an alleged preparation of an invasion. Russia has rejected these accusations, saying that it was not planning to attack any country, including Ukraine.
However, Russia has warned that NATO's plans to expand further eastward represents a direct threat to its national security. Russia has also said the United States and its allies' supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine worsens the security situation as it encourages Kiev to take military action against the breakaway Donbas republics.
On Tuesday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Russia was withdrawing some forces away from the border with Ukraine and from Crimea after they completed their military exercises there.
© Sputnik
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