Blinken announces US diplomats will return to Ukraine, Biden will tap new ambassador

In the Ukrainian capital, Blinken and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. They are the highest-level U.S. officials to have traveled to the country since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February.

Blinken and Austin also met with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov and Interior Minister Denys Monastrysky for an extended, roughly 90-minute bilateral meeting.

Blinken also relayed that U.S. President Joe Biden would nominate Bridget Brink as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, according to the senior State Department official.

Blinken and Austin also discussed the Biden administration's intention to provide $713 million in additional foreign military aid to help Ukraine transition to NATO-capable systems, as well as deliveries of recent U.S. military assistance to Ukraine and the ongoing training of Ukrainian soldiers.