US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin's aim is to topple the Ukrainian government.

Blinken was asked in a TV interview with ABC News on Thursday if he was convinced Putin would overthrow Ukraine's government. He answered, "I'm convinced he's going to try to do that."

Blinken said that "part of the Russian plan has been, to put Kyiv in danger, to assault the capital, to go after other major cities" in Ukraine.

He was also asked about possible US involvement in case Putin moves into NATO countries beyond Ukraine. He said "it's a possibility" that Putin will go beyond Ukraine, but said NATO's legal commitment to collective defense would serve as a deterrent.