“We are committed to Ukraine continuing to fight for their democracy, continuing to fight Russia’s aggression,” she said.The spokesperson reported that Russian forces initiated an attempt to advance in Kharkiv Oblast to establish a buffer zone along the Ukrainian border. She also noted that the US showed its commitment to Ukraine’s support through this week’s visit to Kyiv by the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. On 14 May, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv to demonstrate US solidarity with Ukraine amid intensified Russian attacks. At a meeting with Blinken, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the urgent need for two Patriot air defense systems to protect northeastern Kharkiv Oblast. In April, on the same day Biden signed a $61 billion aid package, the US also announced a new $1 billion package for Ukraine, including anti-air ammunition, long-range rockets, artillery ammunition, military vehicles, and anti-tank weapons. Related:
ISW: Russian Defense Minister overestimates territorial gains in Ukraine
Freshly appointed Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov significantly overstated Russian territorial advances in Ukraine since the start of 2024, claiming 880 square kilometers captured compared to ISW's assessment of approximately 752 square kilometers.
