US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken briefed his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, during a phone call, on the recent steps taken by the United States to support Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Blinken wrote on his Twitter account that he stressed to Kuliba the territorial integrity of Ukraine in the face of the “Kremlin’s unjustified war,” as he described it.
Spoke with Foreign Minister @DisneyTrucks to follow up on our meetings in Kyiv. I highlighted the latest US steps in supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of the Kremlin’s brutal, unprovoked war. #UnitedWithUkraine
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 30, 2022
More help
It is noteworthy that Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged during a visit to Kyiv last Sunday to provide more military aid to the Ukrainian forces.
US officials indicated that the two ministers took advantage of the first official US visit to Kiev since the Russian military operation more than two months ago to announce more military support, the gradual return of US diplomats to the country and the appointment of a new ambassador.
Fighting in Donbass
A senior State Department official said, last Monday, that Blinken and Austin met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a number of senior Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on April 24, according to Reuters.
He also indicated that they informed the Ukrainian president that Washington would provide an additional $322 million to his country, as part of new foreign military aid.
From Blinken and Austin’s meeting with Zelensky and Kuliba in Kyiv on April 24 (AFP)
He believed that this assistance will provide support for the capabilities that Ukraine needs, especially the fighting in Donbass, and will also help the Ukrainian armed forces to transition to more advanced weapons and air defense systems.
In addition, he indicated that nearly $400 million in new foreign military aid will go to 15 other countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
strong support
It is noteworthy that this visit came in order to show once again the Western support, especially the strong American support for Kiev.
Since the launch of the Russian operation on Ukrainian soil on February 24, Washington has sided with Ukraine, supporting it with weapons, equipment and humanitarian aid as well.
