Tanks and Patriots to the east wing of NATO and Washington explained its position on Ukraine’s attacks outside the borders | news

Washington has announced its position on Ukraine’s long-term military operations outside its borders and announced a new arms deal with one of its allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“We have neither encouraged nor enabled Ukrainians to stage strikes inside Russia,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement to reporters.

“What is important is that we understand what Ukrainians suffer daily from ongoing Russian aggression,” he added, accusing Russia of “weaponizing winter” by launching attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Referring to the Ukrainians, Blinken confirmed that the US government “is interested in having in its hands the equipment it needs to defend itself, its country and its freedom”.

Speaking to Blinken after talks with her Australian counterparts, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Washington is not preventing Ukraine from developing long-range missiles of its own, adding: “We are not working to prevent Ukraine from developing its own capabilities.” .”

Do not allow or encourage

Earlier, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said the United States does not allow or encourage Ukraine to conduct military operations outside its borders, stressing that US and international assistance to Ukraine should support its independence and sovereignty.

“We are providing Ukraine with what it needs on its territory, on Ukrainian soil, to counter the Russian aggressors,” Price said.

Price avoided commenting on a Wall Street Journal report that suggested the United States had secretly modified the HIMARS missile systems it supplied to Ukraine, which are believed to have turned the tide on the battlefield , to prevent them from being attacked Russia.

US President Joe Biden says he does not support equipping Ukraine with long-range missiles for fear of an escalation that could embroil the United States in a direct confrontation with Russia.

In the same vein, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said the United States has sufficient stockpiles of weapons to continue supporting Ukraine.

Sherman, while attending a symposium at Louis University in Italy, added that the fastest way to peace in Ukraine is for Russia to withdraw all of its forces.

She noted that Western support for Ukraine had managed to resist what she called the “Russian invasion” and stressed the need to continue that support.

US arms deal with Poland

In a related matter, the United States announced that it had agreed to sell Poland another 116 Abrams tanks and other heavy weapons in a deal totaling $3.75 billion, after Warsaw bought 250 of the type last April had bought.

And the US State Department said in a statement that Poland intends to buy 116 Abrams tanks in its modernized version “M1 A1”, 12 rescue vehicles “M88A2 HERCULES” and 8 portable bridges for offensive operations. 1110 “(M 1110) capable of allowing tanks to cross rivers, about 50 light vehicles, light weapons and their ammunition.

The statement said: “This proposed sale will enhance Poland’s ability to counter current and future threats by providing a credible military force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in NATO operations.”

Poland accepts a German offer

For its part, Poland has announced that it will accept Berlin’s offer two weeks ago to install Patriot missile batteries on its territory, after the Polish government rejected this offer and suggested to its German counterpart that the defense system be sent to Ukraine.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said – in a tweet on Twitter – that he spoke to his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht on Tuesday and “accepted with disappointment her decision to refuse support for Ukraine”.

He added: “The installation of Patriot missiles in western Ukraine would have strengthened the security of Poles and Ukrainians at the same time. From here we make practical decisions about where to install the batteries in Poland and connect them to our command system.”

On November 21, Germany offered Poland a supply of Patriot missiles to install these American-made batteries in its eastern border regions with Ukraine.

The German offer came after two people were killed in a Polish village near the Ukrainian border by a missile fired by Ukraine’s air defenses to counter Russian airstrikes, according to Warsaw and NATO.

Belarus transports military equipment

In a notable development on the ground, Belarus intends to transfer military equipment and forces today, Wednesday, and tomorrow, Thursday, as part of alleged counter-terrorism exercises amid fears that Russia could launch a new attack on the US from its ally’s territory Ukraine could start .

“During this period, it is planned to transfer military equipment and personnel of the national security forces,” the official Belta news agency quoted the Belarusian Security Council as saying.

“The movement of citizens (transportation) will be restricted along some public roads and areas, and the use of imitation weapons for training purposes will be planned,” he added.

Belarus has said it will not enter the war in neighboring Ukraine, but President Alexander Lukashenko has in the past, citing threats, ordered its forces to deploy with Russian forces near Ukraine’s border.
to Belarus from Kyiv and west.