USA Sends Big Guns and Bigwigs to Ukraine as Russia Shifts Goals
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is undergoing a massive shift in strategy this week, and that has provided an opportunity for the United States to show some much needed support to the beleaguered ally.
It was originally reported that Vladimir Putin expected Kyiv to fall within 72 hours of when Russian tanks first rolled into Ukraine, but we’re now 70-some days into the offensive and Kyiv is no longer even an objective. Instead, Putin is amassing his forces in the southeastern part of the country, hoping to fully secure the Donbas region and other areas with a high percentage of Russian separatists.
The shift allowed for high level dignitaries to visit Ukraine, bringing with them a show of support and a whole lot of ammunition.
U.S. diplomats will return to Ukraine this week and the U.S. will announce more military aid to Ukraine after a high-profile meeting between Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and others in Kyiv on Sunday, according to Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin, who traveled with the U.S. delegation.
“It was a very productive meeting, very engaging session, and we were very happy to have that opportunity,” Austin said at a news conference early Monday. “We expressed our deepest condolences to the president for the loss of so many civilians” and for the loss of troops. He said U.S. officials discussed with Zelenskyy what will “enable us to win the current fight and also build for tomorrow.”
The visit brought with it some decisive narrative-building.
Blinken said the battle for Kyiv is won and that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been a failure when measured by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s original goal, to “fully subsume Ukraine into Russia.”
Advertisement - story continues belowThe meeting with Blinken, Austin, and Zelenskyy also included Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, Ambassador Oksana Makarova, General Valerii Zaluzhny, head of presidential administration Andrii Yermak, and presidential aide Andrii Sybiyha.
Secretary Austin brought Laura Cooper, deputy assistant secretary of Defense, and Lt. Gen. Randy George, his senior military aide. Tom Sullivan, deputy chief of staff for policy at State and the brother of Jake Sullivan, accompanied Blinken.
The US has also pledged another $800 million in military aide for Ukraine, but has refrained from directly engaging with the Russian military on account of Vladimir Putin’s blanket threat of nuclear war should there be any interference.
