The US Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for the first visit by US officials to Ukraine since the start of the war with Russia.
During their visit, Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin announced the gradual return of US diplomats to Ukraine, the appointment of a new US ambassador to the country and the provision of additional assistance of more than $ 700 million.
The two US ministers traveled to Poland on Saturday and drove to Ukraine on Sunday, where they met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba and Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov.
For security reasons, the visit was carried out in great secrecy and was confirmed by Washington only after Blinken and Austin had left Ukrainian territory.
However, Zelensky had already mentioned it on Saturday, while Ukrainian officials had confirmed the presence of the two American ministers in Kyiv yesterday.
During their meetings, the two US ministers announced the gradual return of the US diplomatic presence in Ukraine.
Blinken pointed out that US President Joe Biden is going to appoint Bridget Brink, the current ambassador to Slovakia, as the new US ambassador to Ukraine in the coming days.
The United States has not had an ambassador to Ukraine since 2019, and US diplomatic missions are handled with authority.
The return of the US diplomatic presence in the country will be gradual.
“From the beginning of the hostilities, we have a team in Poland that is doing this job. From this week, the team members will be making daily trips inside Ukraine,” a State Department official told reporters waiting for the two US ministers. on the Polish side of the border.
In addition, the United States will increase military aid to Ukraine by releasing $ 700 million, of which about $ 300 million will help Ukrainians acquire the weapons they need from the market, US officials said.
The rest will go to Ukraine’s regional allies who have provided assistance to the country and who need to replenish their stockpiles of weapons.
At the same time, more than 50 Ukrainians are expected to complete their training today in the use of Howitzer firearms, which Washington has begun sending to Kyiv, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
Biden announced on Thursday that he would provide another $ 800 million aid package to Ukraine, mainly in the form of heavy weapons, which Zelensky is seeking to repel Russian attacks in the east of the country.
According to Washington, since the beginning of Biden’s term, the US has offered a total of more than $ 4 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
Source: AMPE
Source: Capital
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