Blinken, Le Drian Discuss Ukraine, Iran’s Nuclear Program

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US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price stated that the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the situation in southeastern Ukraine with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.

In a statement, Price said that “Blinken spoke yesterday with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to discuss reports concerning Russian military activity in and near Ukraine and their continued ironclad commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity." 

According to the State Department release, Blinken and Le Drian also discussed Iran's nuclear program.

Last week, the Ukrainian defense ministry said that Russia has deployed 90,000 troops near the border with Ukraine in an attempt to add pressure on it.

“It should be noted that the Russian Federation periodically resorted to the practice of transferring and accumulating military units in order to maintain tensions in the region and political pressure on neighboring states,” the ministry said.

Washington has previously vowed to provide the "security assistance that Ukraine needs, including lethal defensive weapons."

Putin: US exercises are a serious challenge

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that talk of his country preparing to invade Ukraine was "worrisome," adding that there was no need to escalate tensions in the Black Sea.

Putin also added in an interview that Moscow regards recent Black Sea exercises by the US and other NATO ships as “a serious challenge”.

"The United States and its allies in NATO are carrying out unplanned exercises in the Black Sea. Not only is a rather powerful naval group involved in these exercises, but also aviation, including strategic aviation. This is a serious challenge for us."