PRESS RELEASE : President of Ukraine met with the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense of the United States of America

The press release issued by the President of Ukraine on 25 April 2022.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin who arrived in Ukraine on a visit.

At the beginning of the talks, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the importance of the visit of American high-ranking officials to Kyiv at this crucial and important moment for the Ukrainian state.

“We appreciate the unprecedented assistance of the United States to Ukraine. I would like to thank President Biden personally and on behalf of the entire Ukrainian people for his leadership in supporting Ukraine, for his personal clear position. To thank all the American people, as well as the Congress for their bicameral and bipartisan support. We see it. We feel it,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed.

The President of Ukraine discussed with the United States delegation the current priorities for the belligerent state – defense assistance, strengthening sanctions on Russia, financial support for Ukraine and security guarantees.

The Head of State noted that the $ 3.4 billion in defense support already provided by the United States is the largest contribution to strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The President of Ukraine stressed that this assistance already helps in bringing Ukraine’s defense capabilities to a qualitatively new level, which is extremely important for our defenders who are defending their homeland on the frontline.

Particular attention was paid to the sanctions policy, which should be further strengthened and become an important element of influence on the aggressor. “We understand what the next steps on this track should be. And we count on the support of our partners,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, handing over to the American side the Action Plan to strengthen sanctions on the Russian Federation developed by the Yermak-McFaul international expert group.

Discussing ways to increase financial support for Ukraine, both to promote the economy and to further rebuild our country, the President of Ukraine stressed the importance of expanding the opportunities for Ukrainian goods to access the American market.

The parties also discussed the peace process and prospects for strengthening the anti-war coalition. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine sees the United States as a leader among the future guarantors of our country’s security.