U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that part of a major U.S. aid package had arrived in Ukraine and that more was on its way that was going to “make a real difference”.
Blinken’s surprise trip to Kyiv on Tuesday is the first by a senior U.S. official since Congress passed a long-delayed $61 billion aid package last month. Ukraine’s outmanned troops are battling a new Russian offensive in the northeast as well as assaults in the east.
“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 has already arrived and more of it will be arriving,” Blinken said.
“And that’s going to make a real difference against the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield.”
Zelenskyy, addressing his guest in English, said air defense supplies were “the biggest deficit for us” with Russia conducting long-range aerial attacks since March that have pounded electricity facilities and caused blackouts.
“We need today two Patriots [missile systems] for Kharkiv… because people are under attack there. Civilians, warriors, everybody—they are under Russian missiles.”
Blinken arrived in Kyiv by train early on Tuesday morning on the previously undisclosed visit, which comes days after Russia launched a ground incursion into the north of the region of Kharkiv, opening a new front and stretching Ukraine’s soldiers.
“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 has already arrived and more of it will be arriving,” Blinken said.
“And that’s going to make a real difference against the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield.”
Zelenskyy, addressing his guest in English, said air defense supplies were “the biggest deficit for us” with Russia conducting long-range aerial attacks since March that have pounded electricity facilities and caused blackouts.
“We need today two Patriots [missile systems] for Kharkiv… because people are under attack there. Civilians, warriors, everybody—they are under Russian missiles.”
Blinken arrived in Kyiv by train early on Tuesday morning on the previously undisclosed visit, which comes days after Russia launched a ground incursion into the north of the region of Kharkiv, opening a new front and stretching Ukraine’s soldiers.
Source: Reuters
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