Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Antony Blinken And US Defense Secretary Meet Prez Zelenskyy In Kyiv

Top US Officials US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the capital Kyiv.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (Image Source: AFP)

New Delhi: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Kyiv on Sunday. 

After over 60 days since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine started, this was the first time Zelenskyy met any top US officials. 

It came as Ukraine pressed the West for more powerful weapons against Russia's campaign in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, where Moscow's forces sought to dislodge the last Ukrainian troops in the battered port of Mariupol.

"Today the Ukrainian people are united and strong, and Ukraine-US friendship and partnership are stronger than ever!" Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday.

Meanwhile, Presidential aide Oleksiy Arestovych, speaking during an interview on YouTube earlier Sunday, confirmed that the meeting was ongoing.

Arestovych repeated Ukraine's appeal for offensive weapons, "because as long as there are no 'offensives', there will be a new Bucha every day", he added, referring to the town where UN officials said they had documented the unlawful killings of around 50 civilians.

He further said that the top US officials wouldn’t visit if they weren’t ready to give weapons. Arestovych said in the Black Sea port of Mariupol, where the remaining Ukrainian forces are surrounded, the defence was "on the brink of collapse".

Zelenskyy on Saturday said that he was grateful to Washington for the help so far, even if he wanted heavier, more powerful weapons to use against the Russian forces.
In another boost, French President Emmanuel Macron won the election over his opposing far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. The result was hailed by France's allies in the European Union as a reassuring sign of stability and continued support for Ukraine. France has played a leading role in international efforts to punish Russia with sanctions and is supplying weapons systems to Ukraine.