The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, General Mark Milley, suggested that Kyiv take advantage of its successes on the front lines and initiate negotiations with Moscow to halt the bloodshed. However, this idea faced opposition from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who advocated for continuing the fight.
As noted by The New York Times, following the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, which drew criticism from Republicans, Blinken had the opportunity to showcase his political acumen. Since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has actively contributed to forming an international coalition in support of Ukraine, particularly through arms supplies and the imposition of economic sanctions against Russia.
"As Putin prepared for the attack, Blinken delivered a speech in Berlin where he referenced how Presidents John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan stood against Soviet authorities, asserting that the United States would once again defend the guiding principles of international peace and security," the article states.
The New York Times reports that due to Ukraine and Russia's reluctance to negotiate, Blinken was "more of a military strategist than a peacemaker." The senior official often clashed with Pentagon officials who were hesitant to risk sending more powerful weaponry to Ukraine. Therefore, at the end of 2022, when Ukrainian forces successfully counterattacked in the Kharkiv region, and Mille suggested capitalizing on this to initiate peace talks, Blinken insisted that the fight could continue.
Source: nytimes.