US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed continuing American support for Ukraine in his meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv.
The two held talks on Wednesday after Blinken arrived in the Ukrainian capital on a two-day trip.
Before the talks, Blinken said he was there to demonstrate "ongoing and determined" US support for Ukraine. He said his country wants to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs, not only to succeed in the counteroffensive, but also for the long term to make sure that aggressions do not happen again.
Kuleba responded that it was a great pleasure to welcome Blinken in Ukraine, particularly in the foreign ministry. He added that he was looking forward to a productive, result-oriented conversation with Blinken.
The top US diplomat also plans to meet with other senior Ukrainian officials during his visit, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. They are expected to discuss Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive against Russian forces and other issues.
Some US news organizations have suggested there are doubts within the US administration over whether Washington can continue to support Ukraine at the same level next year.
Reuters news agency says Blinken is likely to announce a new package of US wartime assistance worth more than 1 billion dollars.
On Wednesday, Blinken and Kuleba also visited a cemetery in the city to commemorate Ukrainian military personnel who lost their lives defending their country.
Kuleba posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, a photo of himself and Blinken at the cemetery. He said Blinken "became the first counterpart to begin his day in Kyiv by paying tribute to our fallen heroes at Berkovetske cemetery." He added, "This is a sign of respect to all Ukrainian warriors who gave their life for our freedom and the right to live."