USA: Pence in Kiev from Zelensky, 'I do my part'

Former US Vice President Mike Pence, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, made a surprise visit to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Nbc News reports. Visiting Ukraine "strengthens my determination to do my part, to continue to call for strong American support from our Ukrainian friends and allies," Pence told TV in an interview from Kiev.

He is the first Republican presidential candidate to meet Zelensky during the electoral campaign. On June 3, i.e. the day before the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, General David Petraeus announced its "impressive" success from the very first days.

Interviewed by the BBC, he prophesied: “I think this counteroffensive will be very impressive. My feeling is that they will achieve combined arms effects, in other words they will successfully execute combined arms operations, with engineers overcoming defensive posts, clearing minefields and so on; behind these will follow armored vehicles protected by infantry which will eliminate the threat of anti-tank missiles; then air defense, which will keep Russian planes away; electronic warfare jamming their communications; the logistics in support and artillery and mortars [hammering] ahead.”

“And the most important thing of all… is that when the lead elements inevitably reach the peak of their employment, after 72-96 hours, which is the maximum you can get, and they [the enemies ed] will have suffered losses… they will move the other units, which will push forward, all the way, to capitalize on progress and maintain momentum; I think all of this can remove the entire Russian defense in that area and that it will open up other opportunities along the flanks.”