Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Tuesday to reaffirm U.S. support for the war-torn country.
The State Department said top diplomats from the Biden administration met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other key officials while in Kyiv to discuss “the latest on the battlefield, the impact of new U.S. security and economic assistance, and the long-term “We will discuss economic security and other commitments.” And there are ongoing efforts to accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery,” the Associated Press reported.
Blinken, 62, is also scheduled to give a speech in the Ukrainian capital later on Tuesday in which he will tout Ukraine’s “strategic successes” amid the Russian invasion, a senior US official said. told the outlet.
U.S. officials said the secretary of state is also expected to emphasize the need to step up efforts to combat government corruption if Ukraine aims to integrate with the West.
This is Blinken’s fourth visit to Ukraine since Russian forces stormed the border in February 2022.
His visit comes days after the Biden administration pledged an additional $400 million in military aid to Ukraine from existing U.S. stockpiles.
The latest package will provide Ukraine with much-needed surface-to-air missiles, artillery shells, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and ammunition, and other offensive and defensive weapons.
This is Kiev’s third aid since Congress approved $60 billion in additional funding last month.
A senior U.S. official told The Associated Press that some artillery, air defense interceptors and long-range ballistic missiles provided by the United States have already reached the front lines.
With additional U.S. aid in hand, President Zelenskiy said on Monday that the purpose of his military was “to thwart Russia’s attempts to escalate the war.”
“Currently, we are achieving more and more achievements, destroying the infantry and machines of the occupying forces,” the Ukrainian president said in a speech. evening speechHe pointed out that heavy fighting continues in the Kharkiv region and other parts of the country near the Russian border.
“This is a challenging moment,” Blinken said Sunday in an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“We are not going anywhere, and neither are the more than 50 countries that support Ukraine,” he added. “That will continue to be the case. If President Putin thinks he can outlive Ukraine and his supporters, he is wrong.”
Since the Russian invasion, the United States has provided approximately $50.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
