Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
For: Real America News Updated 24 Apr 2022 , 24: 44 pm EDT
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and United States Secretaries of State and Defense, Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin met in kyiv.
The visit occurs when the war enters a new phase as Russia moves its forces east and south after failing to take kyiv or topple the Zelenskiy government in the first weeks of the conflict.
Ukraine has pressured the United States and its allies to send more powerful weapons to repel Russia from the eastern Donbas region, where Russian troops seek to gain full control of the besieged port of Mariupol.
Before the visit, Zelenskiy praised accelerated arms shipments, which he said could help Ukraine step up its counter-offensive, but added that US envoys “should not come here empty-handed.”
This is the first meeting of the Ukrainian president with representatives of the US administration in Ukraine since the Russian invasion began, on 24 February.
LThe conversations on Sunday mainly dealt with the supply of state arms US citizens to Ukrainea, according to agencies.
“The friendship and collaboration between Ukraine and the United States are stronger than ever,” Zelensky tweeted, without giving further details.
The meeting takes place a week after Biden promised $1,300 additional millions in weapons and economic aid, which adds up to a $1200 million package that included heavy artillery for the first time, as well as additional helicopters.
It is worth mentioning that Zelensky himself invited Biden to visit Ukraine, but the White House dismissed such a situation, however, he mentioned that two officials would attend, as happened this Sunday.
Last month, Biden visited US troops stationed in Poland, about an hour’s drive from the Ukrainian border during a four-day trip to Europe, but did not cross into Ukraine.
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