US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, on Wednesday. This visit marks the beginning of a short European tour aimed at strengthening Western support for Ukraine among NATO allies and neighboring countries.
Blinken's trip occurs as Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks in the east. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued warnings that allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike inside Russia could lead to a global conflict.
In Chisinau, Blinken is scheduled to meet with President Maia Sandu and other senior officials. US officials have noted that Moldova is currently facing Russian "influence operations."
Jim O'Brien, the top US diplomat for Europe at the State Department, mentioned that the United States is expected to announce a "robust package" to support Moldova's energy independence. However, he did not provide specific details. He also stated that Washington has not observed a direct military threat from Russia toward Moldova's breakaway Transnistria region.
Later in the week, Blinken will travel to Prague to attend an informal gathering of NATO foreign ministers. This meeting will focus on preparations for a leaders' summit of the alliance in Washington in July.
"We do not anticipate that there’ll be an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO, but we expect a significant show of support for Ukraine in its efforts to win the war," O'Brien said. He added that this support will include ongoing NATO assistance in building Ukraine’s future military capabilities and efforts to help Ukraine implement necessary reforms for EU membership and eventual NATO accession.
The United States and its European allies have been working to help Ukraine build a long-term defense force, moving Kyiv closer to NATO. Individual NATO members, including the US, are working on bilateral agreements with Ukraine.
More than two years into the most lethal conflict in Europe since World War Two, Western allies are debating strategies to halt Russian military advances. Putin has increasingly invoked the threat of a global war.
One critical issue is whether the allies will permit Ukraine to use the weapons they provide to strike inside Russia, a topic likely to be discussed at the Prague meeting. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told The Economist that alliance members should allow Ukraine to use their weapons inside Russia. This view is supported by some European members of the alliance but not by the United States, which has repeatedly stated that it does not encourage Ukraine to strike inside Russia.
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