Ukraine war: Russia ‘failing in its war aims’ and Ukraine will be around ‘a lot longer than Putin’, US secretary of state says

Russia is failing in its war aims following the invasion of Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said following a visit to the capital Kyiv.

Speaking at a news conference on the border with Poland after meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mr Blinken added that a “sovereign, independent Ukraine” will be around “a lot longer than Russia’s Putin is on the scene”.

It comes after he pledged $322m (£251m) in new foreign military financing for Ukraine and confirmed that US diplomats will start returning to the country next week.

“When it comes to Russia’s war aims, Russia is failing, Ukraine is succeeding,” Mr Blinken said.

“Russia has sought as its principal aim to totally subjugate Ukraine, to take away its sovereignty, to take away its independence. That has failed.”

He said Russia “sought to assert the power of its military and its economy” but “we, of course, are seeing just the opposite: a military that is dramatically underperforming, an economy as a result of sanctions, as a result of a mass exodus from Russia, that is in shambles”.

He added that Russia has “sought to divide the West and NATO” but said the military alliance and its allies are more united than ever.

It was the first visit by a senior US official since Russia invaded Ukraine 61 days ago, with Mr Blinken joined by Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES