US diplomats visited Kyiv ahead of embassy reopening

Washington [US], May 8 : US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Sunday informed Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba about a recent visit to Kyiv by US diplomats ahead of the US embassy reopening, the US State Department said on Sunday.
This planned reopening embassy is in line with a pledge made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his most recent visit to Kyiv.
"The Secretary informed Foreign Minister Kuleba that our Charge d'Affaires Kristina Kvien and a small group of diplomats, accompanied by State Department security, travelled to Kyiv to conduct diplomatic engagement in advance of the planned resumption of Embassy Kyiv operations," US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement.
Blinken spoke by phone today with Kuleba to commemorate Ukraine's Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation to recognize the sacrifices of those lost in World War II.
The US State Secretary also shared additional detail of new security assistance packages to support Ukraine's gains on the battlefield, including the ninth drawdown from U.S. stocks authorized by US President Joe Biden.
Blinken emphasized the US' enduring commitment to Ukraine and its ultimate victory against Russian aggression, Price said.
This call comes as US first lady Jill Biden reached Ukraine on a surprise visit to the war-torn country. Jill visited the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod.
The US first lady also met with her Ukrainian counterpart, Olena Zelenska, for whom this was the first public appearance since the beginning of Russia's special operation in Ukraine.
Russia started its military operation in Ukraine on February 24. This large scale operation has reportedly resulted in a humanitarian crisis, leading to crippling sanctions from Western countries targeting Moscow's high profile individuals and companies.