Antony Blinken

Well, first, what we've left is Ukraine, which was not self-evident because Putin's ambition was to erase it from the map. We stopped that. Putin has failed. His strategic objective in regaining Ukraine has failed and will not succeed. Ukraine is standing. And I believe it also has extraordinary potential, not only to have survived, but actually to thrive going forward.

And that does depend on decisions that future administrations and many other countries will make. Right now, as I'm looking at this, I think the real measure of success is is whether going forward, Ukraine will continue to stand strong as an independent country, increasingly integrated with Western institutions, and able to stand on its own feet militarily, economically, democratically.

And that does depend on decisions that future administrations and many other countries will make. Right now, as I'm looking at this, I think the real measure of success is is whether going forward, Ukraine will continue to stand strong as an independent country, increasingly integrated with Western institutions, and able to stand on its own feet militarily, economically, democratically.

And in each of those areas, we put Ukraine on a trajectory to do that.

And in each of those areas, we put Ukraine on a trajectory to do that.

These are decisions for Ukrainians to make. They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there. Where the line is drawn on the map, at this point, I don't think is fundamentally going to change very much. The real question is, can we make sure that Ukraine is in a position to move forward strongly?

These are decisions for Ukrainians to make. They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there. Where the line is drawn on the map, at this point, I don't think is fundamentally going to change very much. The real question is, can we make sure that Ukraine is in a position to move forward strongly?

Ceded is not the question. The question is the line as a practical matter in the foreseeable future is unlikely to move very much. Ukraine's claim on that territory will always be there. And the question is, will they find ways with the support of others to regain territory that's been lost?

Ceded is not the question. The question is the line as a practical matter in the foreseeable future is unlikely to move very much. Ukraine's claim on that territory will always be there. And the question is, will they find ways with the support of others to regain territory that's been lost?

I think the critical thing now going forward is this, if there is going to be a resolution or at least a near-term resolution, because it's unlikely that Putin will give up on his ambitions. If there's a ceasefire, then in Putin's mind, the ceasefire is likely to give him time to rest, to refit, to re-attack at some point in the future.

I think the critical thing now going forward is this, if there is going to be a resolution or at least a near-term resolution, because it's unlikely that Putin will give up on his ambitions. If there's a ceasefire, then in Putin's mind, the ceasefire is likely to give him time to rest, to refit, to re-attack at some point in the future.

So what's gonna be critical to make sure that any ceasefire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression. And that can come in many forms. It could come through NATO, and we put Ukraine on a path to NATO membership.

So what's gonna be critical to make sure that any ceasefire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression. And that can come in many forms. It could come through NATO, and we put Ukraine on a path to NATO membership.

It could come through security assurances, commitments, guarantees by different countries to make sure that Russia knows that if it reattacks, it's going to have a big problem. That, I think, is going to be critical to making sure that any deal that's negotiated actually endures and then allows Ukraine the space, the time to grow strong as a country.

It could come through security assurances, commitments, guarantees by different countries to make sure that Russia knows that if it reattacks, it's going to have a big problem. That, I think, is going to be critical to making sure that any deal that's negotiated actually endures and then allows Ukraine the space, the time to grow strong as a country.

Look, I hope very much. And I don't want to say expect, but I certainly hope very much that the United States will remain the vital supporter that it's been for Ukraine. Because, again, this is not just about Ukraine. It's never just been about Ukraine.

Look, I hope very much. And I don't want to say expect, but I certainly hope very much that the United States will remain the vital supporter that it's been for Ukraine. Because, again, this is not just about Ukraine. It's never just been about Ukraine.

To me, as I said before, in the absence of American diplomacy, you're going to have diplomacy by lots of other countries that are going to shape the world in ways that may not be so friendly to our own interests and our own values. So that's a choice. We can disengage. We cannot be present. We can stand back. But we know others will step in, and we have to decide whether that's in our interest.

To me, as I said before, in the absence of American diplomacy, you're going to have diplomacy by lots of other countries that are going to shape the world in ways that may not be so friendly to our own interests and our own values. So that's a choice. We can disengage. We cannot be present. We can stand back. But we know others will step in, and we have to decide whether that's in our interest.

Let's take an example. Let's take a concrete example. Let's talk about China for a minute. I think President Trump was right during his first administration in identifying some of the challenges posed by China. No country has the capacity that China does to reshape to its own will and designs the international system that we and many others put in place after the Second World War.