Security assistance issue to come up during Blinken visit to Ukraine – U.S. Department of State
The issue of security assistance would come up in conversations of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during his visit to Ukraine next week, Acting Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker has said.
"In terms of security assistance, as you know, we have provided significant security assistance, both lethal and nonlethal, to Ukraine. And I believe Congress has earmarked some 408 million in Fiscal Year 2021 for security assistance for Ukraine," he said at a briefing.
"I'm sure that [the lethal and nonlethal assistance] will come up in our conversation," Reeker said.
He said that it is "part of our regular engagement between our embassy and between those of us who are in regular contact with Ukrainian officials."
Earlier U.S. President's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday that defensive materiel from the U.S. to Ukraine would continue to be part of broader diplomatic efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict.
"The United States has fielded requests from the Ukrainians in the past and supplied them, and will field requests in the future and be willing to provide certain types of materiel," he said, speaking at the Aspen Security Forum.
Sullivan said that it would be "in stride" with the ongoing security partnership.