Biden team preparing strong Ukraine policy foundation for Trump handover, Blinken says
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The Biden administration is focused on securing a strong foreign policy foundation for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, including on the Russia-Ukraine war, outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Jan. 12.
According to Blinken, there is no sense in "speculating on the point" that the war may not end in Ukraine's favor under the new administration.
Trump's return to the White House on Jan. 20 has sparked concern about the future of the U.S. support for Ukraine. The president-elect has previously criticized military aid for Kyiv and pledged to broker a swift end to the war.
"What does make sense is to make sure that we give the next administration, we give the incoming Trump administration, the strongest possible hand for it to play around the world, whether it's on Ukraine or anything else," Blinken said.
Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to hold a phone call soon, according to Mike Waltz, Trump's nominee for national security adviser. Trump announced on Jan. 9 that plans for a meeting with Putin are underway, though Waltz said the format of the talks remains undecided.
The Kremlin welcomed Trump's readiness for dialogue but ruled out a face-to-face meeting before Trump's inauguration. Moscow previously rejected Trump's team's proposed peace plan, which included freezing front lines, delaying Ukraine's NATO membership by 20 years, and deploying European peacekeepers.
Outgoing President Joe Biden expressed confidence on Jan. 10 in his administration's support for Ukraine, saying, "I did all I could to help," while voicing hope for continued U.S. backing under Trump.
