Secretary Blinken continues visit to Ukraine, Russia does not stop attacks

State Secretary Antony Blinken said the United States wants to help Ukraine not only survive Russian aggression but also thrive as a state. Mr. Blinken announced an additional $1 billion aid from the US to Ukraine.

Secretary Blinken met with Ukrainian military officials Thursday, observing military equipment that has been donated by Washington.

We highly appreciate and appreciate the courage and power of the border forces, as well as the national police, and I am very proud of the fact that the State Department has been your close partner”, said Mr. Blinken.

He visited a bunker used by the military in the Kiev region.

This is the second day of Secretary Blinken's visit to Ukraine. A day earlier he and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, visited an American firm's restaurant “McDonald's” recently reopened in Kiev.

But despite attempts to convey a sense of normality, intensified Russian attacks on Ukraine that continued throughout Mr. Blinken's visit serve as a reminder of Moscow's unstoppable aggression. The Ukrainian Army said on Thursday it destroyed 25 of the 33 fears Russia used to attack Sumy and Odessa regions at night, during which at least one person has been injured.

There were also Russian air strikes in Kiev just three hours before Mr. Blinken arrived by train from Poland.

But the worst attack Wednesday was that of a market in the eastern town of Costian-Tyn-Vikas, during which 17 people were killed, including one child and dozens more were injured.

“Day, we saw a market bombing, 17 people or more killed, many others injured. What is a market under attack? This is what Ukrainians are living every day”, said Mr. Blinken.

Mr. Blinken also voiced optimism that the administration of President Biden will manage to maintain its support for Ukraine as well as Washington.

In the Capitol, Republican Senator Bill Hagerty told reporters he would like to see more support from US allies for Ukraine.

“I would like to see a notice from all NATO members, saying they are willing to boost support. I just got back from a trip to Europe and we encouraged our NATO allies to actually increase their support and I'd like to see this happen”, says Republican Senator Hagerty.

The United States is Ukraine's largest military aid donor. But according to the Kiel Institute, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic are making huge financial contributions to Ukraine, in proportion to the size of their economy. / VOA