kyiv, Ukraine —The Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, came to Kiev Tuesday on an unannounced diplomatic mission to reassure Ukraine which has the support of Washington in its struggle to defend itself from increasingly intense Russian attacks.
“We know this is a difficult time,” Blinken said in the Ukrainian capital, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The visit occurs less than a month after the Congress approved a long-delayed foreign aid package that included a $60 billion allocation to Ukraine, much of which will go toward replenishing depleted artillery and air defense systems.
The new aid “is already on the way,” added Blinken, who noted that part of it had already arrived in the country.
This will “make a real difference” on the battlefield, where the Kremlin’s army has taken the initiative in some areas against kyiv’s depleted forces.
On his fourth trip to kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Blinken will underscore the commitment of President Joe Biden’s government to the country’s long-term defense and security, according to US officials, who highlighted that since the signing of initiative last month, the White House has already announced $1.4 billion in short-term military assistance and $6 billion in longer-term aid.
They are “trying to really accelerate the pace” of US arms shipments to Ukraine, said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Artillery, air defense interceptors and long-range ballistic missiles have already been delivered — and some of these elements are already on the front lines — said a senior US official who was traveling with Blinken on an overnight train from Poland.
Blinken “will send a strong signal of calm” to the Ukrainian leaders and civil society figures with whom he will meet during his two-day visit, said the official, who spoke to the press on condition of anonymity before those meetings.
In a statement published after Blinken’s arrival in the Ukrainian capital, the State Department indicated that it will meet with Zelensky and other senior officials “to discuss developments on the battlefield, the impact of new US security and economic aid , long-term security and other commitments, and ongoing work to boost Ukraine’s economic recovery.”
The delay in the arrival of American aid, especially since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas, worried senior government officials and caused deep concern in kyiv and Europe. Blinken, for example, has visited the Middle East seven times since the start of the conflict in Gaza in October. His last trip to kyiv was in September.
According to the official, later in the day Blinken will deliver a speech praising Ukraine’s “strategic successes” in the war. His intention is to complement the one he offered last year in Helsinki, Finland, in which he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for Moscow’s strategic failures at the beginning of the invasion.
But since those words Russia has intensified its attacks, especially while Washington’s aid package was paralyzed for months, forcing the halt of most US assistance. These attacks have increased in recent weeks, in an attempt by the Kremlin to take advantage of kyiv’s shortage of troops and weapons while the new batches arrive.
Senior Biden administration officials and Ukrainian security officials held a phone conversation Monday “about the situation on the front lines, about the capabilities they need most and a real triage effort to say ‘Get this to us quickly so we can be in a position to defend ourselves effectively against the Russian assault,” Sullivan said.
Over the weekend, Zelensky claimed that “fierce battles” were taking place near the border in the east and northeast of the country, as outgunned and outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers tried to push back a major Russian ground offensive.
The new Russian operation on the northeastern region of Kharkiv and its advance in the province of Donetsk, in the east, occurs after months in which hardly any changes were recorded on the almost 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front. In this time, both sides have resorted to long-range attacks in a new war of attrition.
Zelensky told Blinken that two Patriot air defense systems are urgently needed to protect Kharkiv.
The U.S. official said that despite some recent setbacks, Ukraine was still able to claim significant victories, including recovering nearly 50% of the territory captured by Russian troops in the early months of the conflict and improving its economic position and assets. transport and commercial relations, especially thanks to its military successes in the Black Sea.
On the other hand, the official acknowledged that kyiv faces “a tough battle” and is “under tremendous pressure,” but alleged that Ukrainians “will become increasingly confident” as aid from the United States and other countries begins to increase. Western nations.
Spokesman Matthew Miller reported that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal today in kyiv, Ukraine. The two discussed the United States’ enduring commitment to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction efforts and our dedication to working together with partners to address Ukraine’s humanitarian, economic, and security needs. Secretary Blinken highlighted the economic assistance the United States has provided to help create financial stability and rebuild critical infrastructure, as well as our support for Ukraine as it moves forward on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration.
Source: AP / Department of State
