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Reuters: Blinken Warns Against Peace Efforts That Would Reward Russian Aggression 

HELSINKI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned against any peace initiatives that could help legitimize Russia’s seizure of Ukrainian territory, saying a “just and durable” peace effort should address accountability and reconstruction. 

Delivering what U.S. officials described as a highlight speech that lays out Washington’s view of 16 months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Blinken said over the coming weeks and months some countries were likely to call for a ceasefire. 

But for any peace effort to be lasting, he laid out, it requires Ukraine’s “full participation and assent” and should support Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery, with Moscow paying its share, Blinken said.  

Read more ….  

WNU Editor: The transcript to US Secretary of State Blinken’s Helsinki speech is here …. Russia’s Strategic Failure and Ukraine’s Secure Future (US Department of State). 

U.S. Secretary of State Blinken Outlines Conditions To End The Ukraine War  

Blinken warns Ukraine cease-fire now would result in ‘Potemkin peace,’ legitimizing Russian invasion — AP
 

Blinken says strong Ukraine a prerequisite for ‘real peace’ with Russia — France 24
 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken brands Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a ‘failure’ — Euronews
 

Blinken outlines conditions for ‘true’ peace in Ukraine — RT 

Blinken Dismisses Calls for a Ceasefire, Says US Must Build Up Ukraine’s Military — Antiwar.com
 

US Secretary of State Blinken said Russia claimed it had the 2nd-best military in the world, but now ‘many see Russia’s military as the 2nd-strongest in Ukraine’ — Business Insider