Damaging leaks notwithstanding, the United State remains committed in its support of Ukraine as it continues to resist Russian aggression, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a social media post.
In an April 11 Twitter post, Blinken mentioned his phone call earlier in the day with Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
"Good to connect with @DmytroKuleba this morning to discuss updates to Ukraine's counteroffensive and air defense options," Blinken tweeted. "We're committed to standing with Ukraine as long as it takes, and to supporting a successful counteroffensive."
Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba
| usembassy.gov/
In his own tweet the same day, Kuleba talked about his phone conversation with Blinkin, during which Blinken "reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. support and vehemently rejected any attempts to cast doubt on Ukraine’s capacity to win on the battlefield."
"The U.S. remains Ukraine's trustworthy partner, focused on advancing our victory and securing a just peace." Kuleba tweeted.
Their phone call came on the heels of what The Hill called "bruising leaks of U.S. intelligence on the war." In those leaks, classified documents about training and air defense systems were posted to the social media outlets including Discord, Telegraph and Twitter. Some of those documents contained information about Ukraine's military capabilities, including advanced weaponry and possible limits, such as running out of munitions anti-air missile systems.
The Pentagon scrutinizing the documents for any mention of the U.S. government's possible monitoring of Russian and Ukrainian leaders. The Hill reported such leaks could lead to heightened tensions between the two countries and that more information is expected to emerge in the coming days.
In a U.S. State and Defense departments news conference the same day, Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III addressed the leaks, with Austin emphasizing that Ukraine has strong partnerships with its allies, particularly the United States, for its own nation's security.
In the same interview, Blinken reiterated the U.S.' unwavering commitment to stand with Ukraine and provide ironclad support, adding that the leak underscores need for continued efforts to strengthen security cooperation between the U.S. and Ukraine. Blinken also said that the U.S. is working with its partners and allies to address the issue and prevent such leaks from happening again.
