Face-to-Face Meeting with Zelensky in Kyiv
Russia Also Hints at Possible Invasion of Moldova
UN Secretary-General Plans Visit to Russia and Ukraine
On the 24th (local time), U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken (left) and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (right) visited Kyiv, Ukraine in person and held talks with Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense jointly visited Ukraine and held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This marks the first time a senior U.S. official has directly visited Ukraine since Russia's invasion in February. As Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine and even hints at the possibility of invading neighboring Moldova, the U.S. government is interpreted to have expressed a strong commitment to supporting Ukraine.
According to AFP on the 24th (local time), Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office, stated in a YouTube interview that "U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin have directly visited Kyiv and are holding talks with President Zelensky."
This is the first direct visit by a senior U.S. official to Ukraine in 60 days since Russia's invasion began on February 24. The visit by the U.S. secretaries to Kyiv is seen as an effort to check Russia's large-scale offensive centered on the Donbas region and to demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting Ukraine.
According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the U.S. side has not yet officially disclosed the visit of the two secretaries to Kyiv, but it is expected that the visit will be announced soon along with President Joe Biden's additional weapons support announcement. The U.S. government is expected to provide further support following two announcements over two weeks totaling $800 million (approximately 990 billion KRW) in weapons aid to Ukraine.
The visit of the two secretaries was revealed by President Zelensky himself in a TV address the previous day. According to CNN, in the speech, President Zelensky said, "We are not just expecting gifts or some kind of cake. We are expecting specific items and specific weapons," emphasizing, "We will discuss the list of essential weapons and delivery speed, and above all, we need powerful heavy weapons."
Despite this, Russia continued its offensive focusing on the Donbas region and southern Ukraine. Airstrikes and bombings continued near the Azovstal steel plant, known as the last stronghold of Ukrainian defenders in Mariupol, and in Odesa, eight people were killed and 18 injured in a Russian missile strike. Russia is reportedly continuing its attacks, ignoring Ukraine's proposed ceasefire negotiations.
Russia has also hinted at the possibility of invading Moldova in southwestern Ukraine. According to TASS news agency, Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia's Central Military District, stated the previous day, "If we completely take control of southern Ukraine, a route connecting to the Transnistria region of Moldova will open."
Amid growing concerns over the expansion of the war, UN Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres announced plans to visit Moscow and Kyiv for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict to meet separately with President Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky to discuss ceasefire measures. According to The New York Times (NYT), the UN stated in a press release that "Secretary-General Guterres will visit Moscow on the 26th to hold talks with President Putin and will meet President Zelensky in Kyiv on the 28th."
Meanwhile, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), global military spending in 2021 increased by 0.7% from the previous year to reach $2.113 trillion, surpassing $2 trillion for the first time. The institute forecasts a significant increase in military spending this year due to the Ukraine crisis.
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