This was stated by John Kirby, a While House strategic communications coordinator, who spoke at an on-record press gaggle on Monday, Ukrinform reports.
Commenting on the Kremlin's statements that the West is confronting Russia in Kursk, Kirby said: "[T]his is a funny bit of Putin propaganda here, and he’s been clinging to it since the beginning of the war: that he had to go into Ukraine, NATO is surrounding him, and that NATO support and U.S. support for Ukraine just proves it’s the West versus Russia; it’s NATO versus Russia; it’s the U.S. versus Russia. And it’s all a bunch of horse-hockey. There’s nothing to it. "
Read also: Zelensky: Kursk disaster was a symbolic beginning of Putin's rule and now Kursk is the end for himThe official emphasized that the only ones who are at war with Ukraine are the Russians themselves, who continue their illegal invasion, while Ukraine defends itself against their aggression.
"This is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, pure and simple. Always has been since the beginning.," Kirby emphasized.
He noted that the U.S. administration is in close touch with Ukraine’s officials, refusing to offer any comments on Ukraine’s raid in Kursk region, forwarding all questions on this matter to the Ukrainian side.
"This is Putin’s war against Russia. And if he doesn’t like it, if it’s making him a little uncomfortable, then there’s an easy solution: He can just get the hell out of Ukraine and call it a day," Kirby said.
As Ukrinform reported, American Senator Lindsey Graham believes the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region is "bold" and "brilliant".