Blinken to Zelensky: US Promises Ukraine Military Aid to Make ‘Real Difference’

Blinken arrived in Kyiv on a surprise diplomatic visit on Tuesday to underline the support of the US. Political wrangling in Washington held up a military aid package that was finally approved in April. 

The trip is the first by a senior US official since the $61bn support was approved. Blinken met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and promised the US aid would make “a real difference against the Russian aggression on the battlefield”.

“The assistance is now on the way, some of it has already arrived and more of it will be arriving,” the US official promised.

“A strong, successful, thriving, free Ukraine is the best possible rebuke to [Russia’s President Vladimir] Putin,” he said, adding that Washington is “determined that over time, Ukraine stands strongly on its own feet: militarily, economically, democratically”.

Zelenskyy lauded the “crucial” US aid, stressing the country’s biggest deficit – air defence. He told Blinken that Ukraine needed two air defence batteries for the northeastern city of Kharkiv, being pummelled by Russian air raids.

“Civilians, warriors, everybody – they are under Russian missiles,” Zelenskyy said.