Blinken meets Ukrainian counterpart Kuleba in Phnom Penh
Nov 12, 2022
Washington [US], November 13 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Phnom Penh on Saturday and discussed Russia's continued attacks on critical infrastructure and the importance of the Black Sea Grain Initiative.
"The Secretary discussed the United States' unwavering commitment to assist Ukraine in mitigating the effects of Russia's continued attacks on critical infrastructure, including with accelerated humanitarian aid and winterization efforts," the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
Price said that two ministers reaffirmed the importance of the Black Sea Grain Initiative's renewal before it expires on November 19 and its role in supporting global food security.
"They also discussed Ukraine's continued effectiveness on the battlefield, and the Secretary reiterated that the timing and contents of any negotiation framework remain Ukraine's decision," he added.
This comes days after reports emerged that the Biden administration is "privately" encouraging Kyiv to demonstrate a readiness to negotiate with Russia, The Washington Post reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.
Mediation began at the end of February this year after the start of the war in Ukraine. The last round of the negotiations concluded in Istanbul on March 29. The talks have since stalled despite efforts by the United Nations.
According to the newspaper, the United States does not want Ukraine to start negotiations with Russia, but, instead, aims to ensure that Kyiv has the support of other countries.
"Ukraine fatigue is a real thing for some of our partners," one US official told The Washington Post.
According to the newspaper, concerns are mounting in parts of Europe, Africa, and Latin America, as food and fuel prices are rising amid Russia's ongoing special operation in Ukraine.
Earlier in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was still open to talks with Kyiv and called on Ukraine to stop the hostilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in turn, said that Kyiv was ready for dialogue with Moscow, but only if another president came to power in Russia.
The Kremlin responded that Moscow would wait for a change in the stance of Ukraine's current president or his successor.
