٠٠:٠٢:٠١Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder said that the United States continues to have discussions with Kiev about the 'long-term objectives' of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, speaking at a press briefing in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
The general was responding to a question about whether the United States would be willing to publicly support Ukraine's operation into Kursk.
"We're continuing to have the discussions with the Ukrainians in terms of their focus, you heard President Zelensky saying it was to create a buffer zone, so we're having those conversations to learn more about what their objectives are," Ryder stated.
He went on to say that Ukrainian armed forces "clearly have compelled the Russians to struggle in their response," adding that Kiev's operation in the border Kursk region "certainly demonstrated the creativity and the battlefield prowess of the Ukrainians."
"But when it comes to what their longer-term objective are here, that's something that we are still discussing with them," Ryder concluded.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
The Russian Defence Ministry continues to report that attempts to break through the AFU’s mobile groups in the Kursk region have been suppressed.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed and 121 have been wounded in the attacks, including ten children. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters located in 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region is to 'create a buffer zone' on Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region."
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that 'Ukraine has the right to defend itself', which includes 'hitting the enemy on his territory'.
The US State Department has said that its policy on allowing the use of US-supplied weapons to 'target imminent threats just across the border' had not changed, and noted that the incursion does not violate US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
US discussing 'long-term objectives' of Ukraine's incursion into Kursk region with Kiev - Pentagon spox
Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder said that the United States continues to have discussions with Kiev about the 'long-term objectives' of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, speaking at a press briefing in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
The general was responding to a question about whether the United States would be willing to publicly support Ukraine's operation into Kursk.
"We're continuing to have the discussions with the Ukrainians in terms of their focus, you heard President Zelensky saying it was to create a buffer zone, so we're having those conversations to learn more about what their objectives are," Ryder stated.
He went on to say that Ukrainian armed forces "clearly have compelled the Russians to struggle in their response," adding that Kiev's operation in the border Kursk region "certainly demonstrated the creativity and the battlefield prowess of the Ukrainians."
"But when it comes to what their longer-term objective are here, that's something that we are still discussing with them," Ryder concluded.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
The Russian Defence Ministry continues to report that attempts to break through the AFU’s mobile groups in the Kursk region have been suppressed.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed and 121 have been wounded in the attacks, including ten children. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters located in 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region is to 'create a buffer zone' on Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region."
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that 'Ukraine has the right to defend itself', which includes 'hitting the enemy on his territory'.
The US State Department has said that its policy on allowing the use of US-supplied weapons to 'target imminent threats just across the border' had not changed, and noted that the incursion does not violate US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Pentagon spokesman Major General Patrick Ryder said that the United States continues to have discussions with Kiev about the 'long-term objectives' of Ukraine's incursion into Russia's Kursk region, speaking at a press briefing in Washington, DC on Tuesday.
The general was responding to a question about whether the United States would be willing to publicly support Ukraine's operation into Kursk.
"We're continuing to have the discussions with the Ukrainians in terms of their focus, you heard President Zelensky saying it was to create a buffer zone, so we're having those conversations to learn more about what their objectives are," Ryder stated.
He went on to say that Ukrainian armed forces "clearly have compelled the Russians to struggle in their response," adding that Kiev's operation in the border Kursk region "certainly demonstrated the creativity and the battlefield prowess of the Ukrainians."
"But when it comes to what their longer-term objective are here, that's something that we are still discussing with them," Ryder concluded.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
The Russian Defence Ministry continues to report that attempts to break through the AFU’s mobile groups in the Kursk region have been suppressed.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed and 121 have been wounded in the attacks, including ten children. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters located in 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region is to 'create a buffer zone' on Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region."
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that 'Ukraine has the right to defend itself', which includes 'hitting the enemy on his territory'.
The US State Department has said that its policy on allowing the use of US-supplied weapons to 'target imminent threats just across the border' had not changed, and noted that the incursion does not violate US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.