U.S. Diplomat Says Kyiv's Drive Toward Western Norms Will Thwart Moscow's Aggression

WASHINGTON -- Ukraine's position in its battle to repel invading Russian troops has improved recently and Kyiv's drive to integrate with Western democratic structures will ultimately triumph over Moscow's aggression, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien told RFE/RL in an interview.

Speaking on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. on July 11, O'Brien said the fastest way to peace is for Ukraine to be strong enough to win the war, which is why the military alliance, and the United States in particular, are stepping up supplies and aid to Kyiv to help drive out Russia while at the same time preserving a functioning economy.

NATO this week announced a major aid package to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion, including the delivery of long-awaited U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets and the provision of $43 billion in military assistance within the next year.

"I think the quickest path to peace is that Ukraine be strong enough to win the war and between what we are doing here this week and what has been done in recent months, we feel very confident that Ukraine will be able to say to Russia we can continue fighting and defeating you through 2025," O'Brien said.

U.S. officials earlier in the week said that despite an intensification of air strikes and moves on the battlefield by Russia's army, Ukraine's position has improved since a $61 billion aid package was passed by Congress in April.

O'Brien said that by the end of the year, Kyiv will be able to say it has pushed back Russia, showing its resolve, and that of its allies.

"It’s clear that Ukraine will thrive, it will integrate in the West, it will be able to join the EU, as it was just invited to do, as it reforms, and in all of that, I don't think Russia will be able to maintain a conflict. The key to Russia's frozen conflicts is that it tries to keep those societies from joining the West and the rule of law. And that's not going to be allowed as part of the solution to this conflict," O'Brien said.

In order to reclaim ground and weaken Russia's war machine, Kyiv has been pushing Washington and other key allies to remove restrictions on the use of weapons they give Ukraine's army.

The issue of how Ukraine uses their donated weaponry is up to individual NATO members to decide. Some have said Kyiv can use them to strike Russian territory, while others have said their donated weapons can only be used within Ukraine.

Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy’s administration, told a NATO forum this week that lifting restrictions on how Ukraine uses donated weapons would be a “game-changer.”

O'Brien said discussions about how U.S. weaponry is to be used are ongoing to ensure their usage "is the most effective in military terms" and that Ukraine is still able to use "its own weapons" as it deems suitable.

"The president [Joe Biden] has said that we provide the weapons Ukraine's able to use in an effective way at a time it's able to use them...Any chances that limitations will be lifted? I think we always have discussions with Ukraine about what's most militarily effective," he added.

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The NATO summit ended with a communique stating Ukraine is on an "irreversible path" to membership in the alliance.

O'Brien said NATO is giving Ukraine "the tools it needs" to go through the reform process necessary to become a member, including for the first time placing a senior civilian representative in a candidate country to help it navigate the process.

"As Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken has said, there will be a bridge to NATO, it will be short, unimpeded, well-lit, assisted to help Ukraine join. And that's why we say it's irreversible. Do the work, come in. And that's what's necessary and always has been."