Blinken makes surprise trip to Kiev, as Washington approves $2.7bn in military aid to Ukraine, allies

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has made a surprise visit to Kiev. Washington has approved $2.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine and its allies.

Blinken traveled in secrecy on Thursday on his second trip to the Ukrainian capital since Russia commenced its “special military operation” in the ex-Soviet country on February 24. He met with his Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Blinken began his visit by touring a hospital for children.

Since the onset of Moscow’s operation, the US and its European allies have imposed an array of unprecedented sanctions against Russia and poured numerous batches of advanced weapons in Ukraine to help its military fend off the Russian forces. The Kremlin has always warned such measures will only prolong the war.

As Blinken was heading to Kiev, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin gathered with allies at the US airbase in Ramstein, Germany, to discuss support for Ukraine, announcing the latest arms package to Kiev at the meeting with dozens of fellow ministers.

The latest package includes $675 million to be sent shortly in arms, ammunition and supplies, $1 billion in longer-term loans and grants for Kiev to purchase more American equipment and an equivalent amount for purchases by neighboring countries deemed “threatened” by Russia.

Citing an unnamed US State Department official, AFP reported that Blinken informed Congress of the $2 billion “to bolster the security of Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors, including... many of our NATO allies as well as other regional security partners who are most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression.”

Washington has already authorized $4 billion in loans and grants to Ukraine and its neighbors in the fiscal year that ended in June.

US to give Ukraine $675 million in weapons: Austin

The United States has approved an additional $675 million in weapons to Ukraine.

During the meeting on Thursday, Austin claimed the military support of Ukraine by the US and its allies was paying off on the battlefield.

“Now, we’re seeing the demonstrable success of our common efforts on the battlefield,” he said, pointing to recent counter-offensives by Ukrainian forces in the south of the country.

Russia says the operation is aimed at demilitarizing and “de-Nazifying” its neighbor and it to “liberate” Ukraine’s Donbass territory, which is composed of the two breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The Russian military has said it has fully captured Luhansk and has concentrated its efforts to seize the other region.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of “good news” on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, claiming that his army had recaptured a number of towns and villages from Russia.

In his address, he claimed he had received news that Ukrainian forces had liberated many settlements in the Kharkiv region in a counter-offensive. “This week we have good news from Kharkiv Oblast. All of you have most likely seen reports about the recent activities of Ukrainian defenders. And I think every (Ukrainian) citizen feels proud of our warriors.”

Russia has confirmed fighting in the flash point but has not confirmed any territorial losses.

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