US Secretary of State Visiting Ukraine: "We Will Walk Together"... Additional Support Expected to Be Announced

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken made a surprise visit to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, on the 6th (local time) and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reaffirm unwavering support. This marks his fourth visit since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Secretary Blinken is also expected to announce an additional support plan worth $1 billion during this visit.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the U.S. State Department, Secretary Blinken met with President Zelensky and said, "As always, I am deeply impressed by the courage, strength, and resilience of the Ukrainian military, people, and leaders," adding, "We will continue to stand with you moving forward." This is Blinken’s fourth visit to Kyiv since the Russian invasion and his first in about a year since September of last year.

Secretary Blinken stated, "President Joe Biden asked me to strongly reaffirm our support," and explained, "This is to support efforts by us and other countries to counter immediate attacks and to help Ukraine build the capabilities needed to deter and defend against future invasions in the long term." He also noted, "I understand (President Zelensky) was just at the front lines. We all want to hear your assessment," emphasizing, "We clearly see significant progress being made in the current counteroffensive against Russia. It is very, very encouraging."

President Zelensky welcomed Secretary Blinken, calling it "an important visit for us Ukrainians." He said, "A difficult winter is approaching," and added, "There may be hardships, but we are glad not to be alone this winter. We will continue to overcome challenges together with our partners."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

During the two-day visit, Secretary Blinken is scheduled to meet not only with President Zelensky but also with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to hear firsthand about the current situation and discuss strategies for countering Russia. The State Department confirmed that Secretary Blinken will also announce support measures for Ukraine in the fields of energy, security, and humanitarian aid.

Major foreign media outlets, citing State Department officials, reported that the new support package exceeding $1 billion includes depleted uranium munitions capable of destroying Russian tanks. It is also reported that both sides are discussing a long-term security partnership between the United States and Ukraine. Speaking to reporters, Secretary Blinken said, "We hope Ukraine not only succeeds in its counteroffensive but also acquires what it needs in the long term to build strong deterrence."

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of Secretary Blinken’s visit to Kyiv, more than 40 casualties occurred due to Russian attacks in eastern Ukrainian cities. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior, around 2 p.m. that day, the city center market of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast was hit by a Russian missile attack, killing at least 17 people, including children, and injuring more than 30. This area is only about 20 kilometers from Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, which is the frontline.

This attack occurred just hours after Secretary Blinken’s unannounced visit to Kyiv. President Zelensky stated via Telegram, "It was an ordinary market, shops, and pharmacies. People who did nothing wrong," and warned, "The number of casualties and injured may increase." Earlier that day, just before Secretary Blinken’s visit, Russia also conducted airstrikes on Kyiv and the port area of Odesa Oblast in the south.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.