US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday (October 31) accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to use the war between Israel and Hamas to try to reduce Western support for Ukraine.
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Putin is really looking to take advantage of Hamas' attack on Israel in the hope that it will distract us ... and cause the United States to withdraw its resources" from Ukraine, the secretary of state told a Senate committee.
Distraction
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also said that Vladimir Putin will succeed in his attempt to conquer Ukrainian territory by force if the U.S. stops supporting Kyiv. "I can guarantee you that without our support, Putin will be victorious," he said at a Senate hearing on aid to Ukraine. "If the rug is pulled out from under them now, Putin will become even stronger and he will succeed in doing what he wants: taking possession of his neighbor's sovereign territory," he added.