UPDATE - Blinken arrives in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on unannounced 2-day visit

CHANGES LEDE, ADDS STATEMENT BY UKRAINIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY & FOREIGN MINISTER DMYTRO KULEBA, EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday arrived in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on an unannounced visit, where he is expected to meet with top Ukrainian officials.

"US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his visit to Ukraine with a visit to the Berkovetske cemetery, where he, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, paid tribute to fallen Ukrainian heroes," said a statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Telegram.

Meanwhile, Kuleba wrote on X that Blinken became his first foreign counterpart to begin a visit to the country by paying tribute to its soldiers.

"This is a sign of respect to all Ukrainian warriors who gave their lives for our freedom and the right to live," Kuleba said.

Earlier, US media reported that Blinken’s two-day visit marks his fourth visit to the country since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war in February last year.

He is expected to announce more than $1 billion in additional funding, The Washington Post reported.

The report said that Blinken arrived in Ukraine in the morning and met with diplomats and personnel at the US Embassy in Kyiv.

Blinken is also scheduled to meet civil society organizations in order to discuss anti-corruption efforts, it added.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine reported that traffic in Kyiv was partially blocked on Wednesday morning, which it said is a procedural requirement during the visit of international leaders or delegations to the capital.