Blinken, Ukrainian FM Kuleba discuss diplomatic efforts to stop 'Putin’s war of choice'

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday spoke to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmtryo Kuleba on phone and discussed the coordinated efforts to provide Ukraine with additional security as well as humanitarian assistance. According to an official statement by US State Department spokesperson Ned Price over Blinken and Kuleba’s telephonic conversation, they also discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop “Putin’s war of choice”.

Price said Blinken and Kuleba, “Discussed coordinated efforts to provide additional security assistance and humanitarian support to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked and premeditated invasion and, in particular, its unconscionable attacks harming population centres.”

“Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Kuleba discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to stop Putin’s war of choice.  The Secretary reiterated the United States’ steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he added. 

Blinken met with Uzbekistani Foreign Minister

Before speaking to Kuleba, Blinken had also met with Uzbekistani Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov. During the meeting, the US Secretary of State "emphasised that Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified attack on Ukraine is a flagrant violation of international law and underscored the urgency of broad support for a rules-based order". Further, Price had said that Blinken lauded Uzbekistan’s humanitarian support for the people of Ukraine. 

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden is also expected to hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of Kuleba's meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Both leaders will discuss the latest development in the Russia-Ukraine war. It is pertinent to note here that US-Russia ties have significantly deteriorated with Moscow invading Kyiv. 

Most recently, Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov said the US must “immediately abolish illegal works in the field of military biology” in post-Soviet nations. Following a lengthy statement by the White House rejecting Russia’s allegations of US involvement in developing biological weapons lab in Ukraine, Antonov said, “Such nervous statements by the American authorities testify to the serious concern of the White House by revealing the truth about the work being carried out on the military-biological program at the borders of the Russian Federation under US funding.”

(Image: AP)