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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: US-Russia Ukraine
HEADLINE: Blinken Reassures Ukrainians Amid Russian Invasion Threat
TEASER: On a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tells the people of Ukraine that as they stand up to Russian aggression, the U.S. stands with them.
PUBLISHED AT: 1/19/2022, AT 3:30pm
BYLINE: Cindy Saine, Myroslava Gongadze
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE:
VIDEOGRAPHER:
PRODUCER: Rob Raffaele
SCRIPT EDITORS: Newhouse, Bowman, DJ balance
VIDEO SOURCE (S): Gongadze interview with Secretary Blinken, Reuters, AFP, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _x_ RADIO __
TRT: 2:58
VID APPROVED BY: MAS
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:))
((INTRO))
[[On a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured the people of Ukraine that the United States stands with them in the face of a potentially imminent Russian invasion. After meeting with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Wednesday, Blinken spoke with VOA in Kyiv about the U.S. diplomatic effort to calm the situation. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
As more Russian troops massed along its borders with Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Ukraine’s capital to demonstrate what he called unwavering U.S. support. In an interview with VOA in Kyiv, Blinken spoke about the gravity of the moment.
((Antony Blinken, Secretary of State))
“Well, first, we've, we've offered Russia a clear choice, a choice between pursuing dialogue and diplomacy on the one hand, or confrontation and consequences on the other hand.”
((NARRATOR))
Blinken is traveling in the region this week as tensions on the border continue to increase.
((Antony Blinken, Secretary of State))
"As we meet today, Russia has ratcheted up its threats and amassed nearly 100,000 forces on Ukraine's border, which it could double on relatively short order."
((NARRATOR))
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called for Ukrainians to remain calm and unified.
((Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister)) [in Ukrainian with English voiceover]
"The biggest of Russia's achievements today would be to sow panic, distrust in Ukrainian society and to destabilize us from within. First of all by destabilizing our economy and our financial system.
((NARRATOR))
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked Blinken for his visit, intended to send a very strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin as he weighs whether or not to invade.
((William Taylor, United States Institute of Peace)) ((MANDATORY SKYPE COURTESY)) “But I'm sure he would like to have President Zelenskiy or President Biden be intimidated by this massive show of force and give up some things. So far, President Zelenskiy and President Biden and all of his representatives have been very clear that we're not caving to that kind of intimidation, President Biden and President Zelenskiy both have been very firm. They have stared down President Putin; they have not blinked.”
((NARRATOR))
After Kviv, Blinken travels to Berlin to meet with key European counterparts and then to Geneva to meet Friday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Speaking with VOA, Blinken had this to say about his meeting with Lavrov.
((Antony Blinken, Secretary of State))
“On the other hand, the fact that we are meeting in Geneva, the fact that we will be discussing the conversations and exchanges that we've had over the last 10 days, also suggests to me that diplomacy remains an open possibility…”
((NARRATOR))
Meanwhile, in another show of support for Ukraine, British military aid arrived in Kyiv Tuesday, including anti-tank weapons to help Ukraine defend itself from a potential Russian invasion.
Cindy Saine, VOA News
NewsML Media TopicsConflict, War and Peace, Politics
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 19, 2022 16:49 EST
Brand / Language ServiceUS Agency for Global Media
