US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is concluding his three-country European tour centred on Ukraine in Poland amid calls to use weapons to strike deep into Russia.
Blinken travelled to Warsaw on Thursday after spending the day in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Both senior officials promised to bring Ukrainian requests to their leaders.
President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will meet in the United States on Friday amid signs that both Washington and London may allow Ukrainians to use the weapons without restrictions.
Blinken is expected to hear further requests for easing gun restrictions from Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.
On Wednesday, Blinken and Lammy announced that the US and the UK pledged about $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine during their visit to Kyiv. Blinken announced more than $700 million in humanitarian aid, while Lammy confirmed that his country would provide another $782 million in aid and loan guarantees.
Speaking for the United States, we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed. And I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this evolves.
The diplomatic visit also came amid Russian troops stepping up their offensive in the Donbas (a common name for Donetsk and Luhansk regions). However, Kyiv risks losing international attention as the incursion into the Kursk region has stalled.
Allied concerns also intensified after the crash of Ukraine’s first F-16 and a failed campaign to mobilise conscripted Ukrainians.
