Diplomats return to Kyiv as ‘Russia has already failed’ in its war goals, says US

Diplomats return to Kyiv as ‘Russia has already failed’ in its war goals, says US.

 

The US committed on Monday to reopen its embassy in Kyiv as soon as possible, as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid a visit to the Ukrainian capital and praised the country’s resistance to Russia’s incursion thus far.

 

Both soldiers said their ability to travel to Kyiv was testimony of Ukraine’s resolve in forcing Moscow to abort an assault on the capital last month, and they vowed additional assistance to stave off Russian troops now advancing in the east.

 

‘What you’ve done in resisting the Russians in the fight of Kyiv is outstanding and encouraging to the rest of the world,’ Austin said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy following a train ride from Poland. ‘We’re here to help’.

 

‘We’re back because of you,’ Blinken said, ‘because of your tremendous courage, leadership, and success in pushing back this awful Russian attack.’

 

Officials from the United States announced that they had promised $713 million in fresh help to Zelenskiy’s government and other countries in the region that are concerned about Russian aggression.

 

According to a US official, the meeting between the US team and Ukraine’s leaders lasted three hours, more than double the allocated time.