According to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Ukraine has successfully recaptured more than half of the territory that Russia seized during its initial invasion.

Blinken commended Ukraine’s progress in repelling the invaders but also emphasized that the fight ahead remains challenging.

During an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, Blinken acknowledged that the counteroffensive was still in its early stages and that Russia had implemented strong defenses. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attributed the delay in mounting the counteroffensive to a shortage of munitions supplies and properly trained brigades.

U.S Support

The United States has been a key supporter of Ukraine during the conflict, providing tens of billions of dollars in military aid since the war began in February 2022. This assistance includes the controversial decision to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine, despite concerns raised by some US allies about the potential danger to civilians.

Blinken addressed Ukrainians’ concerns about the pace of aid, acknowledging that different countries in the coalition offer support at different times. He assured that the US is working on providing Ukraine with the F-16 fighter jets it has long sought, and nearly a dozen nations are preparing to train Ukrainian pilots for these jets.

In response to the ongoing conflict, the Biden administration recently announced an additional $1.3 billion package of long-term air defense and munitions aid to Ukraine. With more than 50 countries supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia, Blinken believes that this united effort will play a decisive role in the outcome of the war.