Blinken's surprise Kyiv visit underscores U.S.'s robust support for Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday. The unscheduled visit follows the United States Congress's approval last month of a delayed military aid package for Ukraine, valued at CAD 80 billion.

This surprise trip is intended to demonstrate the United States' support for Ukraine as it seeks to fend off intense Russian attacks along its northeastern border, according to Reuters.

"Strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians"

Having arrived in Kyiv by train early in the morning, Antony Blinken aims to "send a strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians," an American official informed reporters accompanying Blinken.

"The secretary’s mission here is really to talk about how our supplemental assistance is going to be executed in a fashion that helps shore up their defenses, enable them to increasingly take back the initiative on the battlefield looking forward," the official explained.

A source told Reuters that the approved artillery, long-range missiles known as ATACMS, and air defence systems, green-lighted by President Joe Biden on April 24, have already been delivered to Ukrainian forces.

For months, Kyiv has been at a disadvantage on the battlefield due to slow advancements by Russian troops, especially in the Donetsk area in the south. This is compounded by Ukraine's shortages of personnel and ammunition. Russian forces hold a considerable advantage in terms of manpower and ammunition.

"The delay put Ukraine in a hole"

On Monday, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan mentioned that Washington is working to accelerate the pace of weapons deliveries to Ukraine to aid in countering the challenging situation.

"The delay put Ukraine in a hole and we’re trying to help them to get out of that hole as rapidly as possible," Jake Sullivan stated, also noting that an announcement for a new batch of weapons for Ukraine is expected this week.