US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Urges International Community to Take a Stand Against Russia’s Aggression on Anniversary of Ukraine Invasion

On Friday, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on the international community to not let Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions become the “new normal” in a speech at the United Nations Security Council. The speech was given on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In response to the anniversary, the Biden administration announced a new $2 billion support package for Ukraine, which includes high-tech military equipment, ammunition, and financial aid. The White House also said it was joining with partners in the Group of Seven countries to impose new financial penalties designed to stop the funding of Moscow’s war machine.

In his speech, Blinken catalogued a litany of horrific actions committed by Russia over the past year and spoke of the “inspiring unity” shown by Ukrainians “in the face of Russian aggression.” He also seemed to tacitly downplay a proposal by Beijing to bring an end to the war.

Blinken stressed the need for members of the council, which includes China and Russia, to stand for “the basic principles” of international order, describing the ways that they could do so. He urged the international community to not let Putin’s actions become the “new normal” and to take a stand against Russia’s aggression.

The US and its allies have been providing support to Ukraine since the start of the war, and the new package of assistance is a sign of the Biden administration’s continued commitment to standing up to Russia’s aggression. The US and its partners are hoping that the new financial penalties will help to stop the funding of Moscow’s war machine and bring an end to the conflict.