U.S. says Russia ‘failing’ in war aims; Biden taps Bridget Brink as Ukraine envoy

On the heels of a visit to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters that Russia is clearly “failing” in its war aims and that “Ukraine is succeeding,” while Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the United States wants to see “Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.”

President Biden announced that he is nominating Bridget Brink, a career diplomat who currently serves as ambassador to Slovakia, to become ambassador to Ukraine. Blinken, speaking after the first visit by high-level U.S. officials to the Ukrainian capital...