United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on Wednesday, September 6, hours after Russia launched its first missile attack in a week against the Ukrainian capital.
Blinken's trip aimed to assess Ukraine's three-month-old counteroffensive and signal continued US support for Kyiv's efforts to drive out the Kremlin's forces after 19 months of war amid concerns among some Western allies over the pace of progress, officials said.
After arriving in Kyiv, Blinken laid a wreath at the Berkovetske cemetery to commemorate members of the Ukrainian armed forces who lost their lives defending the country.
He was expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to discuss the ongoing counteroffensive and reconstruction efforts.
Washington officials said possible alternative export routes for Ukrainian grain would also be discussed following Russia's exit from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and its frequent bombardment of port facilities in the Odesa region, from where most grain is transported abroad.
These alternatives may include ships hugging coastlines to keep out of international waters where Russia's navy could target them. Other possible overland routes are also being examined.
Blinken's visit is expected to include announcing new military aid of $175-$200 million. Another larger military assistance package is expected later this week.
Overnight, Russia fired cruise missiles at Kyiv in the first aerial attack on the capital since August 30, according to Serhii Popko, the head of Kyiv's regional military administration.
Debris from a downed missile struck the premises of a business in Kyiv, igniting a fire and causing damage to the company's equipment. No casualties were reported.
In the Odesa region, one person was killed in a Russian missile and drone attack that hit Izmail port. The attack damaged grain elevators, administrative buildings, and agricultural enterprises, local authorities said.
The trip to Ukraine is Blinken's fourth since the war began, including one brief excursion over the Polish-Ukrainian border in March 2022, just a month after the Russian invasion.
However, it will mark the first time America's top diplomat has spent the night in Ukraine's capital since he visited Kyiv in January 2022, before the invasion.