Zelensky postpones foreign trips following Russian offensive

May 15, 2024 — Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from some areas in the country’s northeast while continuing to battle Russian troops in other regions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken the unprecedented step of postponing all his upcoming foreign trips, underscoring the gravity of the threat faced by Ukrainian soldiers.

The situation on the ground remains grim. Russian forces have launched a fresh offensive in northeast Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, marking the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began. This offensive has forced nearly 8,000 local residents to flee their homes.

In a show of support, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced diplomatic mission. He addressed students and professors at Igor Sikorsky Polytechnic Institute, emphasizing that Ukraine is not alone in this struggle. Blinken assured Ukrainians that the billions of dollars in American military aid, which had faced political delays, would make a “real difference” on the battlefield.