The US Secretary of State has visited Kiev.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited Kiev, according to a Ukrainian presidential adviser.
He met with President Volodymyr Zelensky and was expected to discuss the country’s demand for more weapons to repel Russian occupation.
This is the first visit by a senior US official since Russia launched its aggression in Ukraine 60 days ago – and Zelensky announced the planned visit at a news conference at an underground train station on Saturday.
Zelensky had said he expected Americans to deliver results, warning: “You can not come to us empty-handed today, and we expect not just gifts or some kind of cake, we expect specific things and specific weapons.”
The president had also said that more weapons would allow Ukrainian forces to retake “immediately” territories that are “temporarily occupied” by Russian troops. Confirming that the meeting had taken place, presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych told a Ukrainian television station: “Let’s hope that something will be decided for further assistance.”
As the West sends military equipment to Ukraine, Zelenskyy has repeatedly stressed that his country needs more heavy weapons, including long-range air defense systems and fighter jets.