Zelensky: Assistance to Ukraine was main topic in negotiations with Blinken, Austin

Providing assistance to Ukraine was the main topic during the talks of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Report informs referring to the Ukrainian media.

“Assistance to Ukraine was the number one issue at the talks with the US representatives who arrived in Kyiv yesterday... Our talks with them were quite lengthy - more than three hours - and informative. Encouraging and, not least, productive. I am grateful to the people of the US and personally to President Biden for the powerful and sincere support that we receive. These are real things that strengthen not only our state, but democracy as a whole,” Zelensky said in a video message.

He added that both Kyiv and Washington understand: “When democracy wins in one country, it wins all over the world. When freedom is defended in one country, it is defended all over the world.”

“We agreed with the American side on further steps to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine, meet all the priority needs of our army. Among other things, this also concerns preparations for a major ministerial meeting in Germany on April 26 - forty defense ministers of the partner states will gather. The key issue is the defense of Ukraine, the defense of freedom in the east of Europe,” the Ukrainian president said.