Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently visited Ukraine to reinforce U.S. support amid concerns from western allies about Ukraine's progress against Russian forces. During the trip, he also met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen to discuss coalition efforts.
"Every time I'm here, I'm struck by the extraordinary bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian forces, Ukraine's leadership," Blinken said, according to a release of his remarks.
Blinken arrived in Ukraine Sept. 6, marking his fourth trip to the country since Russia initiated aggression in February 2022, the release said. The visit aimed to underline the United States' unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and democratic governance.
During his visit to Ukraine, Blinken met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, according to the State Department. Discussions focused on Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive against Russian forces, as well as future recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Blinken addressed "Ukraine's energy, security and humanitarian needs, and made announcements about how the United States could continue supporting Ukraine in these areas," the State Department reported.
Kuleba extended a warm welcome to Blinken, the release reported.
"My home is your home," Kuleba said, highlighting the close relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine, according to the release.
Blinken praised the courage of the Ukrainian people and reiterated the U.S. commitment to Ukraine's ongoing struggle, the release said.
"We wanted to make sure that Ukraine had what it needed not only to succeed in the counteroffensive but also for the long term, to ensure it has a strong deterrent and strong defense capacity so that, in the future, aggressions like this don't happen again," Blinken said in his remarks.
According to AP News, Blinken met with Frederiksen on his way to Kyiv. Denmark had committed to donating fighter jets and training Ukrainian pilots. Blinken thanked Frederiksen for Denmark's contributions, especially as some Western allies expressed concerns about Ukraine's progress against Russian forces. The visit aimed to assess Ukraine's three-month counteroffensive and reaffirm U.S. support.
