The outcome of Russia's war against Ukraine will have consequences for the whole world, and the upcoming Ukrainian counteroffensive "is not a movie," British Foreign Minister James Cleverly said on May 9 during a joint press conference in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
"There is no certainty when it comes to conflict," Cleverly said, adding that while the Ukrainian military consistently has exceeded expectations, "there can be no guarantees in war."
Cleverly made the comments in response to a question about how Britain plans to convince Washington of the need to continue supporting Kyiv if Ukrainian troops "do not show a decisive victory in the next few months."
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The British foreign minister said Ukrainian forces have learned quickly and defended effectively, and Western countries "have to continue to support them whether or not this coming offensive makes big gains on the battlefield."
He also pointed out the importance of the West's decisive response thus far to Russia's invasion.
"The eyes of the world are watching how we respond to this challenge," he said, adding that it's important that Ukraine's allies show determination and strategic tenacity "to see it through to a successful conclusion."
Blinken disagreed with the notion that support for Ukraine in the United States is wavering.
He pointed to the decisive statement made last week by Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy (Republican-California) about support for Ukraine and the determined intention to see it through.
McCarthy said on May 1 that the United States would continue to support Ukraine after a Russian journalist questioned support for continued U.S. arms sales.
Blinken also said he agreed with Cleverly that supporting Ukraine is in line with the interests of Western countries and said Ukraine has what it takes to "continue to be successful in regaining territory that was seized by force by Russia over the last 14 months."
During Cleverly's visit, the United States announced a new $1.2 billion security assistance package for Ukraine to boost the country's air defenses and provide additional artillery ammunition.
The package underscores the continued U.S. commitment to Ukraine "by committing critical near-term capabilities, such as air-defense systems and munitions, while also building the capacity of Ukraine's armed forces to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression over the long term," the Defense Department said in a statement.
The package includes ammunition for systems meant to foil the threat of Iranian-made drones that Russia has used against Ukraine, as well as 155 mm rounds -- a key type of artillery ammunition for Ukraine's forces.
However, the items must be procured from the defense industry as opposed to being drawn from U.S. stocks. This means a delay before the items reach the battlefield.
The latest assistance brings total U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in February 2022 to more than $36 billion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed the new assistance, saying on Twitter that "we appreciate this sign of solidarity with Ukraine shown on a symbolic day for us -- Europe Day and the Day of Victory over Nazism in WW2. Together we're moving towards a new victory!"