Ukraine war: Blinken visits Kyiv, tells Zelensky aid ‘on its way’ amid new Russian offensive
- Blinken’s Kyiv trip comes just weeks after US Congress finally approved a US$61 billion financial aid package for Ukraine after months of political wrangling
- He said the aid would ‘make a real difference’ on the battlefield, where Russia’s army has in some areas seized the initiative against Kyiv’s depleted forces
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday assured Ukraine that US military aid was “on its way”, as Russia claimed a “deep” advance into Ukrainian defensive lines in a new offensive.
Blinken’s trip comes just weeks after the US Congress finally approved a US$61 billion financial aid package for Ukraine after months of political wrangling, unlocking much-needed arms for the country’s stretched troops.
“The assistance is now on its way. Some of it has already arrived, more will be arriving,” Blinken told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“That’s going to make a real difference against the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield,” he said.
Zelensky thanked Washington for the aid, saying it was “crucial” and added that it was “important to get it as quickly as possible”.
Zelensky said air defence was the “biggest problem” for Ukraine and requested two Patriot batteries for the Kharkiv region, where Russian forces have been advancing and pounding villages all along the border since Friday.