BRUSSELS (AP) — President Joe Biden plans to boost U.S. military support to Ukraine in the final months of his administration, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Wednesday, after Russia launched a sophisticated missile and drone attack on Kiev had launched.
The US will continue to support “whatever we do for Ukraine to ensure that it can effectively defend itself against this Russian aggression,” Blinken told reporters at NATO headquarters, ahead of planned meetings with allied envoys and Ukrainian officials.
Blinken warned that North Korea’s decision to send its troops into combat operations alongside Russian forces “requires and will receive a strong response.” He didn’t work it out.
Up to 12,000 North Korean combat troops are being sent to the war, according to assessments by U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian intelligence services. The bulk of these forces were expected to be deployed in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have captured much of the territory.
The early morning Russian missile and drone attack was the first on Kiev in 73 days. President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia is stepping up its attacks, apparently in an attempt to discourage Ukrainians from continuing the war, which is approaching the 1,000-day mark.
Russia appears to be using its advantage as doubts arise over how Washington might change its policy on the war after Donald Trump takes office as US president in January. The US is the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine.
Trump has criticized the Biden administration for giving Kiev tens of billions of dollars in aid and vowed to quickly end the conflict. Ukraine’s international backers fear that a hasty settlement will mainly benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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