Blinken discusses military aid on surprise visit to Kyiv

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday made a surprise trip to Kyiv as the United States unveiled nearly

$2.7 billion in new military support to Ukraine and neighbours to face Russia.

Blinken travelled in secrecy on his second trip to Kyiv since the Russian invasion in February.

“The secretary very much wanted to come on this trip now because it’s such a consequential moment for Ukraine,” a senior US official accompanying Blinken said.

She pointed to Ukraine’s counter-offensive nearly seven months into the invasion, with President Volodymyr Zelensky announcing Wednesday that Kyiv had retaken several places in the Kharkiv region.

“All of the security assistance is trying to help ensure that Ukraine is successful in the counter-offensive,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

“If they are, I do think it is very significant in terms of how the war moves forward.”

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, meeting allies at the Ramstein base in Germany, earlier Thursday hailed the “demonstrable success” of Ukrainian forces on the battlefield.