US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's surprise Ukraine visit

Russia-Ukraine War: Antony Blinken travelled in secrecy as he marked his second trip to Kyiv since the Russian invasion in February.

Updated on: Sep 8, 2022, 16:34:10 IST

By HT News Desk

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday made a surprise trip to Kyiv as the Joe Biden administration announced additional military aid worth over $2 billion for Ukraine and neighbouring countries to face Russia.

Russia-Ukraine War: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives to visit a children's hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine. (AP)

Antony Blinken travelled in secrecy as he marked his second trip to Kyiv since the Russian invasion in February.

In meetings with senior Ukrainian officials, Antony Blinken said that the Biden administration would provide $2 billion in long-term foreign military financing to Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors, including NATO members and regional security partners “most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression", Associated Press reported.

The visit comes at a time when fighting between Ukraine and Russia has intensified, with Ukrainian forces mounting a counteroffensive to retake Russian-held areas in the south and east.

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of "good news" on the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, saying his army had retaken some towns and villages from Russia.

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