"Striking Statement from the U.S. Regarding Assad and HTS"

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a press conference following the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Expressing his satisfaction with the sharing of the burden of military aid to Ukraine among the U.S. and NATO allies, Blinken stated, "Allies are increasing the amount of their support. The U.S. has provided a total of $102 billion in aid to Ukraine. Our partners have provided $158 billion. This is the best example of financial burden sharing I have seen in my 30-year career."

Emphasizing that the current administration in the U.S. aims to further increase military support to Ukraine, Blinken expressed that they want to strengthen Ukraine's air defense, artillery systems, and armored vehicle capacity through this means. He highlighted that they aim to use every cent of the $61 billion fund approved for use by the U.S. Congress for Ukraine.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN SYRIA

Regarding recent developments in Syria, Blinken stated, "I think the attack carried out by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group in Syria shows that Assad's key supporters and allies, whether it be Russia, Hezbollah, or Iran, are distracted in various ways due to their problems. It seems that HTS has taken advantage of this situation. The most critical thing right now is to ensure a de-escalation of tensions, to protect civilians across Syria, and perhaps most importantly, to advance a political process within the framework of the UN Security Council resolution. This process is necessary to resolve and end the civil war in Syria."

Referring to Syrian President Assad's approach, Blinken stated, "Assad's refusal to participate in any political process is another factor that opens the door to this attack and the gains made by HTS on the ground. We have enduring security interests, especially in preventing the resurgence of ISIS in Syria."

"WE NEED TO ENSURE ASSAD'S PARTICIPATION IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS"

Stating the importance of the U.S. presence in Syria to prevent a situation where ISIS resurfaces, Blinken said, "There are many foreign terrorist fighters and their families in camps in Syria. We have made intense efforts to return these individuals to their home countries, but thousands still remain in the camps. We do not want these foreign fighters to resurface."

Emphasizing that their interests in Syria continue and that they are evaluating what they can do to support these interests, Blinken stated, "However, primarily, it is necessary to reduce tensions, protect civilians, and if Assad has any sensitivity for the future of the country, to ensure his participation in the political process to end the civil war."

CEASEFIRE BETWEEN LEBANON AND ISRAEL

In response to a question about ceasefire violations between Lebanon and Israel, Blinken stated that the ceasefire in Lebanon was achieved as a result of intense diplomacy and that violations are monitored through a verification mechanism established in cooperation with France. Blinken said, "When one of the parties violates the ceasefire or such a claim arises, the issue comes to us, and we communicate with the parties in some way. This mechanism is currently functioning exactly as it should. The ceasefire continues, and we activate the established mechanism whenever a violation claim arises." Blinken added, "Basically, both the Israeli and Lebanese governments wanted the ceasefire and continue to want it."

MARTIAL LAW IN SOUTH KOREA

Evaluating the declaration of martial law in South Korea and the subsequent developments, Blinken stated that South Korea is one of the closest allies of the U.S. and that they are closely monitoring the situation in that country. Blinken said, "We welcome President Yoon Suk-yeol's decision to withdraw the martial law declaration and the vote in parliament to reject this decision. The President has taken the necessary steps in accordance with this decision. In our assessment, political disputes should be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law."

Emphasizing that South Korea is a success story, Blinken expressed that they expect this country to continue to serve as an example in the rise and resilience of democracy.