Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and said that he was “cautiously optimistic” after discussing possible long-range missile strikes against Russia.
Sybiha and Blinken met in Brussels, where the Ukrainian foreign minister also met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
Sybiha was appointed in September as part of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s largest Cabinet reshuffle since Russia launched its full-scale offensive in February 2022. The 49-year-old is a former diplomat and ex-adviser to Zelensky.
Ukraine has long been seeking permission from the U.S. and U.K. to strike territory in Russia with long-range weaponry supplied by its allies. So far, these requests have been denied because of fears that granting such permission could escalate the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, right, meets with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, left, during his visit to Brussels in Belgium on November 13, 2024. After the meeting Sybiha said that he was “cautiously optimistic” after discussing potential long-range missile strikes against Russia.
NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP via Getty
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Department of State via an online form for comment.
According to Reuters, Sybiha said that: “”We discussed issues of long-range strikes and Euro-Atlantic integration. And here we also are cautiously optimistic.”
Sybiha said that the meetings in Brussels had concerned military aid for Ukraine, and said that there is “a clear picture—a clear timeframe, clear volumes—of what will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the year,” according to Reuters.
“I informed about the battlefield situation, our key defense needs, and the need to have full long-range capabilities,” Sybiha said on X, formerly Twitter, after the meetings. “We also discussed Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry via email for comment.
In a press release shared by the U.S. Department of State prior to meeting Sybiha, Blinken said: “Everyone is focused on making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to continue to deal with the ongoing Russian aggression.
“Making sure that the money, the munitions, the mobilized forces are there to deal with the aggression and to put Ukraine in a position of strength.
“Our strong focus is on the steps that we will continue to take to support Ukraine.”
In the same press release, Sybiha said: “This moment is critical. This war is not only about Ukraine. The future of transatlantic and global security is being decided in Ukraine.”
“If you want to ensure a long-term peace and stability in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, we must force Russia to end its aggression,” Sybiha said. “For this we need more unity and strong decisions. Appeasement will not work.”
Sybiha said that Ukraine’s defense “cannot be put on hold.”
“Every day Russia is bombing our critical infrastructure—energy, ports, hospitals, and schools,” he said. “We need better protection for our people already now, not later. We need to speed up all critical decisions, and we will have today our conversation focusing on these issues.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Kremlin for comment.
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