US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken believes that Russia has failed to achieve its strategic goals in Ukraine, which are to end the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, wipe it off the map, and integrate it into Russia.
In an exclusive interview with CNN, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Germany, Blinken said on Sunday: "There is a tactical battle going on in eastern Ukraine that Ukrainian forces are confronting, but the most important thing is that strategically Russian President Vladimir Putin will not succeed in what he seeks to achieve."
"During the G7 summit, and during the NATO summit that will be held on June 29-30 in Madrid, we will continue to work collectively to do our best to make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to counter the Russian aggression," he added.
On whether the recent missile strikes on Kyiv were a direct provocation ahead of the G7 summit, Blinken said, "Since Putin lost the Kyiv battle and had to direct his focus on eastern and southern Ukraine, Russia has launched from time to time missile strikes with the aim of intimidating citizens...and recent reports indicate thT the strikes targeted a residential facility and a kindergarten to intimidate citizens.”
On the impact of Western sanctions on Russia, the latest of which was the announcement by G7 leaders to ban the import of Russian gold, Blinken stressed that these sanctions have already affected the Russian economy in a dramatic and profound way.
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