Blinken and Biden: We will see Russia's actions and whether they will honor what they said

(Patria) - Russia is not showing signs of a real desire to achieve peace in Ukraine, despite hopes that negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Turkey will lead to that, stated US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today.

Ukraine has proposed accepting neutral status in order to end the five-week conflict, and Russia has said it will reduce military activity on the northern front near Kyiv to create conditions for an agreement.

Blinken said it is up to Ukraine to assess whether there is real progress in the negotiations, adding that the United States is focused on Russia's actions, not just words.

"Russia continues to commit crimes against Ukraine," Blinken told reporters during a visit to Morocco, calling on Moscow to immediately end the aggression and withdraw its forces.

Russia calls its mission a "special operation" aimed at disarming and denazifying Ukraine. The West claims it is an unprovoked attack and aggression. Washington is willing to accept the outcome of negotiations that would include a US commitment to help Ukraine's "defense and security," Blinken added.

"I haven't seen any evidence of serious progress in the negotiations, but if Ukraine says it has, we will support it," he said.

US President Joe Biden said it remains to be seen whether Russia will limit its military operations in Ukraine.

"We will see. I don't want to read anything into their statements until I see what their actions are. We will see if they follow through on what they have proposed," Biden said after meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.