President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kyiv. The meeting was also attended by U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker, who is a member of the American delegation.
The Head of State thanked Antony Blinken for his regular visit to Ukraine, which is an important signal of the United States' steady and powerful support for Ukraine. Zelensky also expressed gratitude to President Joseph Biden and his administration, both parties and chambers of Congress, Speaker Mike Johnson and the entire American people for the recent approval of the aid package for Ukraine, as it is extremely important for Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline.
"This was a long-awaited and very important decision for us, and now we need to deliver this aid as soon as possible. Our priority is air defense. Right now, we need two Patriot systems to defend Kharkiv and the region, as people are constantly suffering from shelling and Russian missiles," the President noted.
The Head of State informed the U.S. Secretary of State about the situation on the frontline, particularly in the Kharkiv sector, and the priority needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The parties discussed in detail the prospects of expanding U.S. participation in the coalition of fighter jets and pilot training programs, as well as urgent needs for long-range capabilities and equipping additional brigades.
They also discussed the preparations for the Global Peace Summit scheduled for June 15-16 in Switzerland. The President emphasized the importance of this global platform for ensuring sustainable and just peace for Ukraine.
"The participation of the U.S. leadership in the Peace Summit as a key international partner is important for us. This will also help to involve as many countries as possible in this initiative, which should lay solid foundations for a just peace," Zelensky noted.
In addition, the parties discussed the prospects of concluding a bilateral security agreement.
"We are actively working to finalize the preparation of the agreement on security guarantees, which must take into account the capabilities of the United States as the strongest partner. We expect the agreement to be signed shortly," the President said.
Particular attention was paid to the Euro-Atlantic integration of our country.
"Ukraine counts on the continued support of our Euro-Atlantic aspirations by the United States, which is important for strengthening the entire transatlantic security. We look forward to constructive cooperation in preparing for the NATO anniversary summit to be held in Washington this July," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized.
