US assistance to Kyiv will change the situation on the battlefield

The American administration intends to take advantage of the new powers granted by the US Congress to seize Russian assets for the restoration of Ukraine. This was stated by the head of the State Department, Antony Blinken, at a press conference in Kyiv following a meeting with President Vladimir Zelensky.

Washington is working with G7 partners to ensure frozen Russian funds are used to compensate Kyiv, Blinken said.

Blinken also emphasizedthat part of the new US military assistance has already been delivered to the Ukrainian side, and part is on the way. Ukraine is going through a difficult time, Blinken noted, expressing confidence that American assistance should change the situation on the battlefield.

The Secretary of State also said that the United States is moving Ukraine closer to NATO membership.

Vladimir Zelensky, in turn, following the negotiations wrote in a telegram that he discussed further defense cooperation with the Secretary of State. The talk, in particular, was about the Patriot air defense systems. According to Zelensky, two such installations could significantly help in protecting the Kharkov region, where the Russian army has been actively fighting in recent days.

Blinken’s visit to Kyiv comes amid reports of Russian troops advancing in the northern Kharkiv region. Politico published recently notedthat, in all likelihood, the Kremlin is trying to take advantage of the pause in arms supplies to Ukraine. Journalists admit that if Russia achieves success for itself in the Kharkov region, then Kyiv’s allies can put pressure on it and force it to negotiate with Moscow.

The Russian side previously stated that arms supplies to Ukraine will not change the course of hostilities.

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