Kyiv [Ukraine], April 25 (ANI): US secretary of State Antony J Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, becoming the first senior US officials who have visited Ukraine since Russia launched its military operation in Kyiv on February 24. “They (Blinken and Austin) are right now in Kyiv, talking to the president,” and “maybe something will be decided regarding how they can help,” Oleksiy Arestovich, an adviser to President Zelensky confirmed the news during an interview with a Russian lawyer and activist on YouTube.

The US top diplomat and top defence official arrived in Kyiv on Sunday, The New York Times reported.
The US government has always backed Ukraine with financial aid and weapons and also helped in leading the international campaign of sanctions against Russia. But this visit has been called under pressure as recently several European officials including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the PM of Spain and Denmark have visited the country.

US officials did not announce their visit but it was Zelenskyy who revealed it in his speech on Saturday, saying that he would use this meeting to discuss the “military assistance we need.” A few weeks after Russia started its military operation in Ukraine, the prime ministers of Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovenia travelled to Kyiv in March, which was kept under tight wraps, reported The New York Times.

Over the following weeks, they were followed by leaders of Britain, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Spain and Denmark. Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, visited both Kyiv and Bucha, where journalists and investigators have found evidence of atrocities. This is not the first time for America to visit the war zones unannounced, in Iraq and Afghanistan, the visit was typically not announced until after the official had arrived in the country and sometimes not even until after they had left, as reported by The New York Times.

Security concerns and contested airspace have still required leaders to make long journeys to reach Kyiv. The British government said that Johnson, whose visit in early April was unannounced, used several modes of transportation, including a train from eastern Poland.

The White House had ruled out sending Biden, citing not only the risk but Biden’s enormous security requirements. Senior cabinet officials such as Blinken and Austin travel with smaller entourages, according to The New York Times. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the US authorized new military assistance worth USD 800 million for Ukraine.

Notably, Russia launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, which the West has termed an unprovoked war. As a result of this, the Western countries have also imposed several crippling sanctions on Moscow.

Pentagon Chief denies Ukraine conflict turning into proxy war, says US not fighting Russia

Washington [US], April 27 (ANI/Sputnik): US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in an interview said he does not believe the conflict in Ukraine is a proxy war between the United States and Russia. Since Russia launched its military operation in February, the US has provided at least $3.7 billion to support Ukraine’s defenses, with at least 30 other countries giving another $1.3 billion, the White House said earlier on Tuesday. “We’re not in a fight with Russia,” Austin told Fox News in an interview that aired on Tuesday. “Ukraine is in a current struggle with Russia.”

Despite the amount of security aide provided to Ukraine, Austin insisted that the conflict is not turning into a proxy war. “It’s not, this is clearly Ukraine’s fight,” Austin said when asked if the conflict in Ukraine might turn into a proxy war. “Ukraine’s neighbors and allies and partners are stepping up to make sure that they have what they need in order to be successful.”

On Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Austin announced that the United States will provide $713 million in foreign military aid to Ukraine and over a dozen other countries to purchase new weapons or to compensate for the arms they provided to Ukraine. Some $322 million in military assistance will be allocated to Ukraine from this package.

This is on top of the assistance President Joe Biden announced last week that the United States is providing Ukraine with another $800 million security aid package. The Defense Department said the new US security aid package would include 72 Howitzers, 144,000 of artillery rounds, more than 121 Phoenix Ghost tactical drones as well as parts and other equipment.

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia. (ANI/Sputnik)

US announces re-opening of US embassy in Kyiv, new military aid for Ukraine

Kyiv [Ukraine], April 25 (ANI): US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III announced the re-opening of the US embassy in Kyiv and fresh military aid for the war-torn country as they arrived in Kyiv on Sunday to show their support for Ukraine.

In order to arm Ukraine with more advanced weapons and air defence systems, US President is expected to commit USD 713 million in new military financing for Ukraine and 15 other nations in Eastern Europe, the State Department official said, with this, the US total military aid to Kyiv touched USD 3.7 billion since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24, The New York Times reported.

The funding is intended to assist the Ukrainians in the fight for the Donbas region by allowing the Ukrainian troops to use more advanced weapons and air defence systems, the officials said.
The assistance will also go toward funding ordnance used by Soviet-designed weapons like rockets, assault rifles and machine guns still used by the Ukrainian army, reported The New York Times.
The visit by the US delegation comprising of Blinken and Austin III came after several leaders including UK PM Boris Johnson met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

The US delegation told the Ukrainian President that the United States would move to reopen its embassy in Kyiv, and for the first time since 2019, nominate an American official to lead it.

President Biden is set to announce the nomination of Bridget Brink, the current US ambassador to Slovakia, as ambassador to Ukraine in Washington on Monday morning, according to a senior State Department official. American diplomats will begin crossing the border into Ukraine this week, and will reopen the Kyiv embassy as soon as feasible to begin re-establishing contacts throughout the country in person, the US State official confirmed. The coming changes were announced while briefing the reporters in Poland by the US diplomats who were not authorized to speak publicly about coming policy changes, as reported by The New York Times.

Having helped Ukraine with financial aid and weapons and also leading the international campaign of sanctions against Russia. The visit by US top diplomat and top defence official was planned in extraordinary secrecy. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the US authorized new military assistance worth USD 800 million for Ukraine.

Recently, leaders of Britain, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, Estonia, Spain and Denmark have visited the country. Moreover, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, visited both Kyiv and Bucha, where journalists and investigators have found evidence of atrocities and mass graves. Russia launched a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, which the West has termed an unprovoked war. As a result of this, the Western countries have also imposed several crippling sanctions on Moscow. (ANI)