(15 May 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyiv – 15 May 2024
1. Ukrainian and U.S. flags
2. Media waiting for the start of news conference
3. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba walking to podium
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State:
“We will provide an additional $2 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine. And we put this together in a first of its kind Defense Enterprise Fund. And it has three components. One is to provide weapons today. So this will assist Ukraine in acquiring those weapons. Two is to focus as well on something that’s Dmytro (Kuleba) just talked about investing in Ukraine’s defense industrial base helping to strengthen even more its capacity to produce what it needs for itself, but also to produce for others. And finally, using these funds to help Ukraine purchase military equipment from other countries, not just the United States.”
5. Journalist asking question
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Antony Blinken, United States Secretary of State:
“We have not encouraged or enabled strikes outside of Ukraine. But ultimately, Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it’s going to conduct this war – a war it is conducting in defense of its freedom, of its sovereignty, of its territorial integrity. And we will continue to back Ukraine with the equipment that it needs to succeed, that it needs to win.”
7. Blinken and Kuleba listening to question
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:
“We appreciate the sincere commitment of the United States to compensate deliveries, delays in deliveries with new announcements and new deliveries. And this is why I so much emphasize the issue of timing in both our talks and, in my in my opening remarks. But it doesn’t apply only to the United States, I mean, every country, we encourage every country to make new announcements and to deliver on them.”
9. Blinken and Kuleba listening to question
10. SOUNDBITE (Ukrainian) Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine:
“The secretary mentioned the security agreement that Ukraine and the United States, our two leaders, presidents will sign. And this is the document that will be signed not on behalf of the State Department or the Biden administration. This is a document that will be signed on behalf of the United States of America. And it will cover a long range, wide range of security cooperation issues. And the United States will undertake certain commitments under this document. And we all know there is a very fundamental rule in diplomacy: it sounds in Latin "Pacta servanda sunt". Agreements must be implemented."
11. Blinken and Kuleba shaking hands and leaving press news conference
STORYLINE:
U.S. Secretary of State Blinken announced $2 billion arms deal for Ukraine on Wednesday, mostly from a package approved last month.
The top diplomat’s trip comes as Russian troops press a new offensive in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region.
It began last week, marking the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 and forcing thousands to flee their homes.
In recent weeks, Moscow’s forces have also sought to build on gains in the eastern region of Donetsk.
Taken together, the developments mean the war has entered a critical stage for Ukraine’s depleted army.
Ukraine’s General Staff reported late Tuesday that troops fell back from two areas in Kharkiv — Lukyantsi and Vovchansk — “in order to save the lives of our servicemen and avoid losses.”
Russia said it had captured Lukyantsi.
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