US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unexpected trip to Kyiv on Tuesday, holding talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky as Russian forces make significant gains on the battlefield in Ukraine.
As per CNN, Blinken's visit marks the first by a Biden administration official since the long-delayed passage of US supplemental funding to the war-torn country.
The top US diplomat discussed recent battlefield developments with Zelensky and emphasized the importance of newly-arrived US security assistance in countering Russian attacks.
While, Russia's continued push into north-eastern Ukraine follows significant advances made over the past week, posing a significant challenge to Kyiv's forces.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a read-out following the meeting, noting, "Blinken and Zelensky discussed recent battlefield updates and the importance of newly-arrived U.S. security assistance to helping repel Russian attacks."
Meanwhile, in a Monday evening speech, delivered shortly before his meeting with Blinken, Zelensky stated, "We grasp the tactics of the adversary and discern their strategy to compel our forces to retreat."
Last month, US President Joe Biden approved a $95 billion foreign aid package, with a substantial allocation of nearly $61 billion designated for Ukraine.
On the other hand, before his meeting with Zelensky, Blinken said US weapons had begun to arrive in Ukraine, with more on the way to assist in the conflict against Russia.
Blinken stated, "We know this is a challenging time, but we also know that in the near term, the assistance is now on the way. Some of it already arrived, and more of it will be arriving, and that’s going to make a real difference against the Russian aggression on the battlefield."
He also praised the "extraordinary courage of the Ukrainian people" and said that "we are equally determined that Ukraine stands strongly on its own feet, militarily, economically, democratically, a strong, successful, thriving, free Ukraine is the best possible rebuke to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."
Moreover, during his fourth visit to Ukraine since the 2022 Russian invasion, Blinken was also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, alongside representatives from civil society and the private sector.
According to a State Department statement, they will "discuss battlefield updates, the impact of new US security and economic assistance, long-term security and other commitments, and ongoing work to bolster Ukraine’s economic recovery,"
