- Title: Blinken notes progress by Ukraine, but says still 'too early to tell'
- Date: 13th September 2022
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 12, 2022) (STATE TV) (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYING: "We've seen significant progress by the by the Ukrainians, particularly in the in the Northeast. And that is a product, as I said, of the support we've provided. But first and foremost, it's a product of the extraordinary courage and resilience of the Ukrainian armed forces and the Ukrainian people." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYING: "It is too early to tell exactly where this is going. The Russians maintain very significant forces in Ukraine, as well as equipment arms and munitions. They continue to use it indiscriminately against not just the Ukrainian armed forces, but civilians and civilian infrastructure. As we've seen, the brutalization of the country continues by the Russian aggressor. And there is I think, unfortunately, the prospect of this continues to go on. But I think it's encouraging to see the progress that Ukraine has made." WHITE FLASH (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYING: "What we've seen over the last week or so in Iran's response to the proposal put forward by the European Union is clearly a step backward and makes prospects for an agreement in the near term, I would say unlikely. You've heard the European Union and in particular, you've heard the so-called E3, Germany, France and the U.K. pronounce themselves on the latest developments. I can't give you a timeline except to say again that Iran seems either unwilling or unable to do what is necessary to reach an agreement. And they continue to try to introduce extraneous issues to the negotiation that make an agreement less likely. But certainly what we've seen in the last week is a step backward, away from the likelihood of any kind of near-term agreement."
- Embargoed: 27th September 2022 10:02
- Keywords: Antony Blinken Iran US Ukraine
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,South America / Central America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001490613092022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday (September 12) that it was still early days in Ukraine's counteroffensive against the Russian military, but Ukrainian forces have made "significant progress."
Blinken, in Mexico for economic talks, was asked for his assessment of recent developments in Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops have recaptured dozens of towns in recent days, after Moscow abandoned its main bastion in northeastern Ukraine on Saturday marking its worst defeat since the early days of the war.
"We've seen significant progress by the by the Ukrainians, particularly in the Northeast. And that is a product, as I said, of the support we've provided," Blinken said during a news conference in Mexico City.
Blinken said the Ukraine conflict was likely to continue for some time as Russia still has very significant forces and arms in Ukraine that it was still using "indiscriminately" against civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Blinken also said Iran's response to a European Union proposal on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal makes the prospects for an agreement in the near term unlikely.
"I can't give you a timeline except to say, again, that Iran seems either unwilling or unable to do what is necessary to reach an agreement."
(Production: Deborah Gembara) - Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
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