Counter-offensive: U.S Secretary of State Blinken Visits Ukraine
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made an official visit to Kyiv on Wednesday to demonstrate unwavering support for Ukraine amid its ongoing counter-offensive against Russian forces.
Blinken expressed Washington’s commitment to ensuring Ukraine’s robust deterrent capabilities.
His arrival coincided with the latest Russian airstrike on Kyiv, which as gathered by Excel Magazine International, there were no reported damages or casualties in the capital.
During his two-day stay, Secretary Blinken is expected to unveil a substantial U.S. wartime assistance package exceeding $1 billion.
As the first high-ranking U.S. official to visit Kyiv since the counter-offensive commenced in early June, Blinken initiated discussions with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and was scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
While some media reports have cited unidentified U.S. officials expressing concerns about the pace and tactics of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, this criticism has irked Ukrainian officials, prompting Foreign Minister Kuleba to respond bluntly, urging critics to refrain from making comments.
Reports say Ukraine has successfully retaken more than a dozen villages and small settlements in its offensive, albeit facing challenges posed by minefields and trenches in Russian-held territory.
However, U.S. officials have refrained from publicly criticizing Ukraine’s military tactics. In fact, they acknowledged significant Ukrainian progress in the previous 72 hours of the southeastern push.
The State Department emphasized Washington’s interest in assessing the progress of the counter-offensive, evaluating battlefield requirements, and addressing potential measures to enhance Ukraine’s energy security ahead of the winter season.
Asked about Blinken’s visit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow believed Washington planned to continue funding Ukraine’s military “to wage this war to the last Ukrainian”. He said U.S. aid to Kyiv would not affect the course of Russia’s ‘special military operation’.
