Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday morning for a visit to reaffirm US support for Ukraine, which could be overshadowed by Russia's military advances in northeastern Ukraine.
The unannounced visit by night train from eastern Poland will be Blinken's fourth visit to Kiev since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It comes about three weeks after President Biden signed the $60 billion aid package for Ukraine, which Congress passed after months of infighting within House Republicans.
Blinken is scheduled to give a speech in Kiev on Tuesday to celebrate the influx of U.S. aid and portray Russia's failed efforts to seize control of the country as a strategic success for Ukraine, a senior U.S. official said.
Blinken will also emphasize that Ukraine must continue to advance democratic governance and anti-corruption reforms if it wants to integrate with the West, the official said.
Mr. Biden and Mr. Blinken have warned for months that delays in Congress in approving critically needed U.S. military weapons would leave Ukraine's military vulnerable on the Eastern Front, where a stalemate has been in place for months. U.S. officials declined to draw a direct link between the aid delay and Russian interests near the city of Kharkiv. But the official said it was clear that Ukraine's military was weakened by a lack of ammunition and other critical equipment due to a lack of funding.
The official said Ukrainians were holding their ground, forcing Russians to make sacrifices, and would likely benefit from more U.S. aid flowing into the country.
Blinken is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other senior government officials. The second U.S. official did not say whether Russia had been notified ahead of Blinken's visit. Russian forces frequently attack Kiev with missiles and drones.
Blinken was the first senior Biden official to visit Ukraine since Congress passed the aid package. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan met with Zelensky in Kiev in late March before the aid was passed.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Financial Times this month, Sullivan said he expected Russia to see some short-term gains, but that the new U.S. aid would allow Ukraine to “hold the line” and ultimately He said he would be able to begin retaking territory.