US Secretary of State Blinken arrived in Kyiv

The agency recalled that this visit was the first since Congress approved a long-awaited package of military assistance to Ukraine worth $61 billion at the end of April.

The visit is intended to demonstrate US solidarity with Ukraine, whose defence forces are trying to repel a Russian offensive and massive bombing on the northeastern border with the Russian Federation in the Kharkiv region.

A US official from the delegation, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, noted that Blinken arrived in Kyiv at dawn early in the morning and hoped to "send a strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians, who are obviously in a very difficult situation."

"The Secretary’s mission here is to communicate how our additional assistance will be provided in a way that will help strengthen their defenses and also enable them to increasingly seize the initiative on the battlefield," the official said.

He added that the artillery, long-range missiles known as ATACMS, and air defense systems approved by President Joe Biden on April 24 are already being delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

And he returned to Kyiv in those days to demonstrate our indifferent assistance for Ukraine as they defend their freedom against Russian aggression. pic.twitter.com/7ruIw6GgVd

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) May 14, 2024