(7 Apr 2022)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Brussels - 7 April 2022
1. Wide of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arriving to his press conference
2. View of journalists
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State:
"Europeans seem committed to moving forward on this. I think it also tells us how imperative it is that we accelerate the transition to renewables. And we can, I think in Europe can make a virtue out of necessity, not only by moving away from Russian energy, from Russian gas and oil, but moving toward sustainable energy and toward renewables. But it's a process. It takes time. But my strong sense is that Europe is committed to doing that."
4. View of journalists
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State:
"So one of the reasons that Ukrainians have been able to be so effective in pushing back this Russian aggression, of course, it starts with their extraordinary courage. But it's also because they already had in hand the weapons necessary to do that. And then since the aggression we have repeatedly and continuously, along with many allies and partners, supplied them with the most effective systems that we believe they need to deal with the armoured vehicles, to deal with the tanks, to deal with the planes, to deal with the helicopters. But as I just said, we are looking at day in day out, what we believe they most need to include new systems that have not heretofore been been provided. We're listening to, to them in terms of their assessment of what they need. We're putting that all together and we're proceeding and we have a strong sense of urgency. That was something that I think was felt amongst all allies and partners here, today."
6. View of an audio technician
7. Blinken departs
STORYLINE:
Spurred into action by reports of atrocities in Ukraine, NATO countries agreed on Thursday to ramp up the supply of weapons to Kyiv, including hi-tech arms, amid concern that Russia is about to launch a large offensive in the eastern Donbas region.
NATO, as an organization, refuses to send troops or weapons to Ukraine or impose a no-fly zone to prevent Russia from completely overwhelming its neighbor.
Individual member countries have provided anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, as well as equipment and medical supplies.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the "sickening images and accounts coming out of Bucha and other parts of Ukraine" have strengthened the West's resolve to punish Russia and step up support for Ukraine.
Blinken said that the United States is "looking across the board right now not only at what we provided, and what we continue to provide, but whether there are additional systems that could make a difference."
One of the drawbacks of sending modern arms is that Ukrainian troops would have to learn how to to use them, but some NATO nations raised the possibility of providing training outside of the war-ravaged country.
Some of the countries sending weapons are making a distinction about what kind of support they can provide.
Ukraine, they argue, should only receive arms that can be used for defensive purposes and not war planes or tanks that might allow the country to take the offensive, rather than hold out.
NATO's great fear is that its 30 nations might be dragged into a wider war with nuclear armed Russia.
Despite the allegations of Russia war crimes and warnings that more atrocities might come, it appears unlikely, at least for now, that the world's biggest security alliance will agree as an organization to arm Ukraine and help end Europe's biggest land war since 1945.
Clients are reminded:
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
