*Secretary of State Antony Blinken Ends European Tour with Focus on Ukrainian Arms Requests
Warsaw/Panjab Post
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is concluding his European tour in Poland, following a series of high-profile meetings focused on Ukraine. Blinken’s trip, which included stops in Warsaw and Kyiv, highlighted Ukraine’s ongoing requests for Western-supplied weaponry to conduct long-range strikes within Russia.
On Thursday, Blinken arrived in Warsaw after spending Wednesday in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. During their Kyiv visit, Blinken and Lammy pledged to convey Ukraine’s requests to their respective leaders. The upcoming meeting between US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the United States on Friday is expected to address these requests, with both Washington and London showing increasing openness to allowing Ukraine to use its weaponry for strikes deeper into Russian territory.
Poland, a NATO member and neighbor to Ukraine, has been a vocal supporter of Ukrainian efforts. During Blinken’s visit, Polish officials, including President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, are anticipated to reiterate their calls for easing restrictions on weapons use.
In Kyiv, Blinken and Lammy announced a significant boost in aid, with the US and Britain committing nearly $1.5 billion in additional support. Blinken revealed that the US would provide over $700 million in humanitarian aid, while Lammy confirmed an additional $782 million in British assistance and loan guarantees.
