Russia attacks Ukraine: US promises new aid during meeting with Zelenskyy
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
ByMichelle Ewing, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
KYIV, Ukraine — The United States vowed to provide Ukraine with new assistance Sunday as top federal officials met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.
According to The Associated Press, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Zelenskyy that the U.S. has given the green light to a $165 million ammunition sale to Ukraine. More than $300 million in foreign military financing also has been approved, Blinken and Austin said.
U.S. diplomats who left Ukraine in February will begin to return this week, the pair added. They said President Joe Biden soon will reveal his choice for a U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, as well, according to the AP.
Sunday’s talks marked the highest-level U.S. visit to Kyiv since Russian forces first invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the AP reported.
Ukraine’s President Zelensky has published photos of himself with US Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin in Kyiv Sunday and said their visit “at this crucial moment for the Ukrainian state is very valuable and important.” pic.twitter.com/gwL84RdyPJ
In a Monday news conference, Blinken told reporters that he and Austin “had an opportunity to demonstrate directly our strong ongoing support” for Ukraine, according to the news agency.
“We’re seeing that when it comes to Russia’s war aims, Russia is failing,” Blinken said. “Ukraine is succeeding.”
Austin said Zelenskyy “has the mindset that they want to win, and we have the mindset that we want to help them win,” the AP reported.
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose for a picture during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 24, 2022 (U.S. Department of Defense via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Monday, April 25, 2022, from left; U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pose for a picture during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin talk after speaking with reporters Monday, April 25, 2022, in Poland, near the Ukraine border, after returning from their trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speak with reporters Monday, April 25, 2022, in Poland, near the Ukraine border, after returning from their trip to Kyiv, Ukraine, and meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office and posted on Facebook, on Monday, April 25, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends his meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office and posted on Facebook, on Monday, April 25, 2022, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from left, attend their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, not in the picture, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Monday, April 25, 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, center, attend their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, not in the picture, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Monday, April 25, 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, left, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, attend their meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, not in the picture, in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Monday, April 25, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, right, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shake hands during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
Photos: Top US officials meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv In this image from video provided by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office on Monday, April 25, 2022, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, centre back to the camera, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, third from left, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center, attend their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)
