- Written by Tom Bateman
- BBC News traveling with Antony Blinken
image source, Getty Images
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Ukraine as weapons from a new US aid package begin arriving on the front lines.
His visit comes as the country struggles to stop a major Russian invasion near Kharkiv, the country's second-largest city.
Top US diplomats are scheduled to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials.
Blinken will deliver a reassuring message, U.S. officials said.
The Secretary of State's arrival on Tuesday marks three weeks since the US Congress finally agreed a new $61bn (£49bn) aid package for Ukraine.
The breakthrough comes after more than a year of partisan paralysis in Washington, with some Republicans adamantly opposing the funding.
Ahead of Mr. Blinken's arrival in Kyiv, a senior U.S. official said that U.S.-funded weapons now arriving on the front lines include air defense interceptors, artillery and ATACMS long-range precision-guided missiles.
“The influx of artillery has already begun.” [and] “It has a long-range ATACMS capable of covering all of Ukraine, as well as other air defense capabilities aimed at meeting the most pressing needs, especially with Russian activities in Kharkov in mind,” the official said. said.
Blinken arrived in Kiev after a nine-hour journey from the Polish border on an overnight train.
He landed in the southeastern Polish town of Rzeszów on Monday. The airport is now a major logistics hub for transporting defense and humanitarian supplies to Ukraine.
The airfield is surrounded by U.S. Patriot missile defense squadrons, a stark reminder of America's role in strengthening NATO's border defenses more than two years after the start of the Ukraine war.
Blinken will deliver a message of “strong reassurance” to the Ukrainian people “at a difficult time,” a U.S. official said. This includes talks to help the country regain “control” of its military, the official said.
The official added that Ukraine is facing “intense fighting on the Eastern Front” as well as recent cross-border attacks on Kharkov.
Asked by the BBC if Congress' delays in arms supplies may have played a role in the Kremlin's decision to carry out the attack, the official said: “There is no direct correlation. “No,” he added, “but it is certain that Ukrainians are in a more difficult position.” Because they have been waiting for this support for a long time. ”
Washington has said that the surge in U.S.-supplied weapons has pushed Ukraine into “active defense” against Russia and that it is “increasingly confident in maintaining its position as it receives more support.” I hope that we will be able to push back.
