Washington, March 3 : US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday left for Europe to consult with NATO allies and other European partners, in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “I depart today to meet with European Allies and partners in Belgium, Poland, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to underscore our solidarity and determination to hold the Russian and Belarusian governments accountable for their brutal war against Ukraine,” Blinken said in a tweet. “Secretary of State Antony J Blinken will travel to Belgium, Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia from March 3 to 8, 2022. The trip continues extensive consultations and coordination with our NATO Allies and European partners about the Russian Federation’s continued premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine,” the US State Department had said in a statement on Wednesday. Secretary Blinken will begin his trip from Brussels, Belgium, where he will participate in a NATO Foreign Ministerial, meet EU counterparts, participate in a G7 Ministerial Meeting, and hold additional meetings with partners to discuss the global response to Russia’s invasion, including the Allies’ and the partners’ continued coordination on imposing massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia, it added. The Secretary will then travel to Poland on March 5, where he will meet Polish leaders, including Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, to discuss further security assistance in the face of Russia’s continued aggression and unprovoked attack on Ukraine. He will also thank Poland for generously welcoming hundreds of thousands of displaced persons from Ukraine and discuss how the ted States can augment humanitarian assistance efforts for those fleeing Putin’s war, it added. According to the statement, the Secretary will then travel to Chisinau, Moldova to meet President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, and Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu. During his stop, the Secretary will discuss support for Moldova’s efforts to receive and assist refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as US support for Moldova’s democracy, sovereignty and territorial integrity, it added. The Secretary will then travel to Vilnius, Lithuania on March 6 to meet President Gitanas Nauseda, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. On March 7, the Secretary will travel to Riga, Latvia to meet President Egils Levits, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics. He will travel to Tallinn, Estonia on March 8 to meet President Alar Karis, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets. During all three stops, he will discuss joint efforts to support Ukraine, strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence, promote democracy and human rights, and pursue deeper economic and energy cooperation with its Baltic Allies, it added. GK RJ