WASHINGTON D.C.: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that while Ukraine has recaptured half the territory that Russia initially seized in its invasion, Kyiv faced 鈥渁 very hard fight鈥� to win back more.
鈥淚t鈥檚 already taken back about 50 percent of what was initially seized,鈥� Blinken said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.
鈥淭hese are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough,鈥� he said, adding: 鈥淚t will not play out over the next week or two. We鈥檙e still looking I think at several months.鈥�
Late last month, President Volodymyr Zelensky was quoted as saying that the counteroffensive鈥檚 progress against Russian forces was 鈥渟lower than desired.鈥�
Ukraine has recaptured some villages in the south and territory around the ruined city of Bakhmut in the east, but has not had a major breakthrough against heavily defended Russian lines.
When asked if Ukraine will get US-made F-16 fighter jets, Blinken said he believed it would. 鈥淎nd the important focus is on making sure that when they do, they鈥檙e properly trained, they鈥檙e able to maintain the planes, and use them in a smart way.鈥�
A coalition of 11 nations will start training Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 fighter jets in August in Denmark, and a training center will be set up in Romania.
Ukraine has long appealed for the Lockheed Martin-made F-16s, but US National Security adviser Jake Sullivan, said last month there was no final decision on Washington sending the aircraft. US officials have estimated it would take at least 18 months for training and delivery of the planes.
The United States has given Ukraine more than $41 billion in military aid since Russia invaded in February 2022.