“I am here today for a simple reason, which is, on behalf of President Biden, to reaffirm our strong commitment to the partnership between our two countries,” said the US Secretary of State.
Koliba confirmed, in a tweet on Twitter after the meeting, that strengthening cooperation between Ukraine and the United States will contribute to the security and success of both countries and the Euro-Atlantic region.
The Ukrainian Ministry head told CNN in an interview before the meeting that they also want to negotiate military aid with Blinken in Kiev. According to him, Ukraine is primarily preparing to order air defense systems and anti-sniper technology from the United States. He stressed that it would not just be a matter of buying and selling, as he mentioned, the partnership should be mutually beneficial.
Anthony Blinken arrived in Kiev on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit, accompanied by Victoria Nuland, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Blinkin will also meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Denis Smyhall on Thursday.
Blinkin Petro Poroshenko also exchanged views with the former Ukrainian head of state. After the meeting, Poroshenko wrote on the message portal Telegram that the message of the meeting was “very positive and all political forces have expressed their support for the sovereignty of Ukraine and its resistance to Russian aggression, which is now a top priority.” He added that they also exchanged views on the pace of reforms in Ukraine, cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, Ukraine’s prospects for NATO membership, and the fight against the Coronavirus epidemic.
Cover image source: Jim Lo Scalzo / EPA / Bloomberg via Getty Images
