US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is making a surprise visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, for talks today. It is Blinken’s third visit since the Russian invasion more than 18 months ago. During his two-day stay, he will likely announce new US aid worth more than a billion dollars (about 930 million euros), according to US government circles.
AP/Brendan Smialowski
Meeting with Zelensky and Kuleba
Blinken’s visit was not publicly announced for security reasons. Blinken, who is visiting Ukraine for the first time since the start of the counteroffensive against invading Russian forces, is expected to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and his counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. During his visit, Blinken wanted to discuss the progress of the counteroffensive and address issues of Ukraine’s winter energy supply, his delegation said.
In the run-up to the visit, reports appeared in the US media that the US considered Ukraine’s counteroffensive to be too slow and insufficiently successful. The Kiev government reacted angrily.
Before the current visit, Blinken was in Kiev in April 2022 – together with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin – and in September 2022. The US is the Eastern European country’s most important Western supporter in its defensive battle against Russia .