Western Allies Hope Ukraine's Counteroffensive 'Can Help Make Steps Towards Peace'

Washington D.C./13.06.23/Turan:  Top U.S. and Italian diplomats on Monday expressed their determination to continue to support Ukraine on the battlefield so it can succeed to achieve peace, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

“Success in the counteroffensive would do two things: it would strengthen its position at any negotiating table that emerges, and it may have the effect as well of actually causing Putin to finally focus on negotiating an end to the war that he started,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a joint press conference with Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani.

Washington is 'confident' that Ukraine will be successful in taking back land seized by Russia, however Blinken added, it's "too soon" to say exactly where the counteroffensive is going.

Echoing Blinken, Italian FM Tajani said that he hoped the counteroffensive could help to "make steps towards peace, because we all want peace." But peace must be just peace, as he put it: "It must be a peace that restates international rule of law and allows freedom to a people that were the victim of invasion."

He went on to add, "We are helping Ukraine because we want peace. Because if we did not help Ukraine, Ukraine would be invaded and we would have a threat that is much greater towards Europe, and Georgia, Moldova, and many other countries would be at great risk. Therefore, we’re doing this to defend freedom and democracy."

Tajani concluded:  "If this counteroffensive is useful to have the Russians retreat back from Ukraine, well, this will give freedom back to Ukraine."

Alex Raufoglu