MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th February, 2023) The Unites States considers it important to provide Kiev with the military "of the future," which would be able to deter Russia after its special military operation in Ukraine is finished, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said on Friday.
"Even if there is a just peace, there has to be a long-term plan and a building of the Ukrainian military of the future, so that they can be deterring of any future appetite (Russian President Vladimir) Putin might have," Nuland said at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank.
The official also said that Washington should help Kiev by building "a long-term integrated air defense, a long-term high-end border security force" and an ability to patrol the national maritime borders.
She said that the conflict might end because of either Kiev or Moscow's exhaustion or a diplomatic settlement, adding that the US wanted to see Putin's strategic defeat.
The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that Putin has always been and continues to remain open to negotiations on Ukraine, as is evident from his attempts to initiate dialogue with the US, NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe even before the start of hostilities. Moscow has said it agrees with US statements that the resolution of the Ukraine crisis must be based on a fair and long-term peace, but at the same time, it sees no prospects yet for negotiations.
Western countries have increased their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched a military operation there on February 24, 2022. In April, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev.
