Kyiv: In a significant show of support, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken touched down in Kyiv on Tuesday, marking the first visit to Ukraine by a senior U.S. official since Congress greenlit a long-awaited $61 billion military aid package for the country just last month.
The unannounced visit is a clear demonstration of U.S. solidarity with Ukraine, which finds itself grappling with relentless Russian assaults along its northeastern border. Arriving in Kyiv via train early Tuesday morning, Blinken’s mission is to offer a robust signal of reassurance to the Ukrainian people amidst their challenging circumstances, as conveyed by an anonymous U.S. official briefing reporters traveling with Blinken.
“The Secretary’s mission here is really to talk about how our supplemental assistance is going to be executed in a fashion to help shore up their defenses (and) enable them to increasingly take back the initiative on the battlefield,” the official explained.
Already, artillery, long-range missiles, known as ATACMS, and air defense interceptors authorized by President Joe Biden on April 24 are making their way to Ukrainian forces, according to the official.
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During his visit, Blinken plans to emphasize enduring U.S. support to Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and deliver a speech focused on the nation’s future.
Despite ongoing Russian advances, particularly in the Donetsk region to the south, where Kyiv’s forces have faced manpower and ammunition shortages, the U.S. is intensifying efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
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U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan underscored Washington’s commitment to accelerating weapon deliveries to Ukraine to help it overcome its strategic disadvantage. “The delay put Ukraine in a hole, and we’re trying to help them dig out of that hole as rapidly as possible,” Sullivan affirmed, hinting at an imminent announcement of a fresh weapons package this week.
As Russia expands its military foothold in Ukraine, controlling approximately 18% of the country and launching new offensives, Kyiv’s economic and political reforms remain crucial. These reforms are seen as key stepping stones towards eventual integration with the European Union and, potentially, NATO.
While immediate NATO membership for Ukraine appears unlikely, individual member states are forging bilateral security agreements with Kyiv. Talks on a U.S.-Ukraine agreement are reportedly in the final stages and expected to conclude before the July NATO summit in Washington.
The G7 nations affirmed their commitment to establishing long-term security partnerships with Ukraine at last year’s NATO summit in Vilnius, recognizing Ukraine’s strategic importance. However, Kyiv maintains that such agreements should not supersede its ultimate goal of NATO membership, underlining the nation’s unwavering dedication to its security objectives.
