May 15, 2022 - World

Blinken meets with NATO, Ukrainian officials in Berlin

Jacob Knutson

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (L), NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana (C) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) in Berlin on May 15. — German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană (C) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Berlin on May 15. Photo: John MacDougall/AFP via Getty Images

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is meeting with NATO allies and senior Ukrainian officials in Berlin on Sunday to discuss Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Why it matters: Kyiv is seeking additional military assistance to fend off Russia's ongoing offensive in the Donbas and humanitarian aid to help stabilize the country and shore up food security in other countries.

What they're saying: "Met [Blinken] in Berlin. More weapons and other aid is on the way to Ukraine," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a tweet Sunday.

"We agreed to work closely together to ensure that Ukrainian food exports reach consumers in Africa and Asia. Grateful to Secretary Blinken and the U.S. for their leadership and unwavering support," he added.

The big picture: Blinken is also set to meet with the foreign ministers of Sweden and Finland in Berlin.

The meetings come after Finland's President Sauli Niinistö announced Sunday that his country will apply for NATO membership regardless of warnings from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Finland's parliament will discuss the move Monday, and a formal application is expected Tuesday.

Go deeper: G7 countries say they'll never recognize redrawn Ukrainian borders

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Blinken meets with NATO, Ukrainian officials in Berlin

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