Ukraine’s Zelensky speaks of hope on Easter Sunday as Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin due to arrive in Kyiv
- The visit by Blinken and Austin is the first to Ukraine’s capital by high-level American officials since the invasion began February 24
- The meeting is set to take place as Ukrainians and Russians observed Orthodox Easter
The United States’ top diplomat and defence chief were set on Sunday to make their first wartime visits to Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine two months ago, with fierce fighting casting a long shadow over Orthodox Easter.
The trip by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin comes as the war enters its third month with thousands dead and millions displaced.
A series of European leaders have already travelled to Kyiv to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and underscore their support, but the US – a leading donor of finance and weaponry – had not sent any top officials so far.
Blinken and Lloyd’s arrival in Ukraine was set to coincide with Easter celebrations in the largely Orthodox country.
“The great holiday today gives us great hope and unwavering faith that light will overcome darkness, good will overcome evil, life will overcome death, and therefore Ukraine will surely win!” Zelensky said on Sunday from the ancient St Sophia Cathedral.
Hours earlier, the president said he was preparing for “important talks with American partners”. The US State Department declined to comment on the highly sensitive trip by two of President Joe Biden’s top cabinet members.
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Their visit comes as Russian forces show no sign of easing their attacks after a missile strike on the southern city of Odesa that killed eight people, including an infant.
