Zelenskiy urges stronger air defenses as Blinken arrives in Kyiv
Emily Johnson
The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, landed in Kyiv on Tuesday morning on his inaugural visit to Ukraine following the approval of a major US aid package last month, as Ukrainian forces grapple with escalating Russian assaults.
Blinken, who made a surprise visit by train from Poland, had a meeting with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, shortly after his arrival.
“Some of it has already arrived and more of it will be arriving,” said Blinken referring to the US aid. “And that’s going to have a significant impact on countering the ongoing Russian aggression on the battlefield.”
Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of the US aid and expressed gratitude to Blinken. However, he also stated that Ukraine urgently requires two additional air defense systems to safeguard the city of Kharkiv, which has repeatedly been targeted by Russian attacks in recent weeks.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba attend a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kyiv. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/ReutersShare