US boosts military aid to Ukraine as Russia tensions soar
By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — As U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Ukraine the Biden administration says it’s providing an additional $200 million in defensive military aid to the country amid soaring fears of a Russian invasion. A senior State Department official said the assistance was approved last month as part of U.S. efforts to help Ukraine protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine. The announcement came as Blinken opened a hastily arranged visit to Kyiv on Wednesday as he and other administration officials step up warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The White House says Russia could at any point launch an attack in Ukraine. After a short trip to Berlin on Thursday, Blinken will meet his Russian counterpart in Geneva on Friday.