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US thinks moment for diplomacy on Ukraine has not come yet — Sullivan

Jake Sullivan stressed that the Joe Biden administration had already requested the Congress to earmark "a substantial amount" of aid to Ukraine and that they were confident about receiving it

WASHINGTON, December 16. /TASS/. Time for negotiations on Ukraine has not come yet, and the United States continues to sustain military support to Kiev, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington on Friday.

"What we do know is that it's our job to continue to sustain our military support to Ukraine, so they are in the best possible position on the battlefield, so that if and when diplomacy is ripe they will be in the best possible position at the negotiating table. That moment is not right now," he said.

Sullivan added that the Joe Biden administration had already requested the Congress to earmark "a substantial amount" of aid to Ukraine and that they were confident about receiving it.

"We have gone to Congress and asked for a substantial amount of further resources to be able to continue to ensure Ukraine has the means to fight this war. We're confident we will get strong bipartisan support for that," he said.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a special military operation following a request for help from the leaders of the Donbass republics. In retaliation, the West has slapped sweeping sanctions on Moscow and stepped up weapons supply to Kiev, and the price tag for this military aid is currently estimated at billions of dollars.

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