U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv on Thursday as the Biden administration announced major new military aid worth more than $2 billion for Ukraine and other European countries threatened by Russia.
In meetings with senior Ukrainian officials, Blinken said the Biden administration had notified Congress of its intent to provide $2 billion in long-term Foreign Military Financing to Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors, including NATO members and regional security partners, that are “most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression.”
In Kyiv, before meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Blinken visited the U.S. Embassy and then the National Specialized Children’s Hospital Ohmatdyt, where he saw boys and girls injured during Russian bombardments, including Maryna, a 6-year-old from the city of Kherson who lost a leg after a rocket struck her house.
In the hospital lobby, Blinken also met “Patron,” a Jack Russell terrier that has helped Ukraine’s military find more than 200 mines laid by Russian forces. Blinken knelled down, petted the dog, and presented it with treats, saying the canine was “world famous.”
