The meeting of the two US ministers with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and members of the government, including the announcement of new support measures, was eagerly awaited. However, this was only confirmed after Blinken and Austin left Ukrainian sovereign territory to protect the two US ministers, it was said.
In Ukraine, Blinken and Austin announced the gradual return of American diplomats and more military aid. Diplomats “starting this week” will travel to Ukraine during the day, the US State Department confirmed.
Diplomatic presence will be “reactivated”
Meeting with Zelenskyy, Blinken and Austin said they wanted to express US solidarity with Ukraine, which was under Russian attack. Blinken said US President Joe Biden plans to name current US Ambassador to Slovakia Bridget Brink as the new ambassador in Kiev in the coming days. The post of US Ambassador to Kiev has been officially vacant since 2019.
Reuters/Ukraine Presidential Press Service The meeting was only made public after the US left Blinken and Austin
The diplomatic presence in Kiev must now be gradually “reactivated”, as has been said. US diplomatic personnel were evacuated from Ukraine to Poland in the face of the Russian invasion and have been working from there ever since.
$300 million for weapons, $400 million for allies
Regarding military aid, Blinken and Austin explained that the US wanted to expand it even further and provide another 700 million dollars (almost 650 million euros). About $300 million of that amount would be used to buy weapons for the Ukrainian military, with the rest going to Ukraine’s regional allies, who were helping Kiev and now need to replenish their own weapons stockpiles.
debate
Ukraine War: What Resources Does the West Have?
Biden had already announced more financial aid of $800 million on Thursday. This should also fund the heavy weapons required by Zelenskyy to fight the Russian offensive in the east of the country.
About $3.7 billion from Washington so far
This would support Ukraine’s necessary military capabilities, especially the fighting in Donbas, the State Department in Washington said. “This assistance will also help Ukraine’s armed forces transition to more advanced weaponry and air defense systems that are essentially NATO-ready.” around 3.4 billion euros).
During their stay in Kiev, Blinken and Austin met with Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyj for a conversation lasting about 90 minutes, the American TV channel reported. CNN.