KYIV, Ukraine (TND) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken performed a rendition of “Rockin’ in the Free World” at a bar in Kyiv Tuesday, drawing him criticism as the Russia-Ukraine war continues.
Blinken played guitar and sang the song with a local band after visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Bohdan Yaremenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, argued that the time the U.S. took to approve military aid for Ukraine cost lives and encouraged Russia.
“Yes, we are very grateful for the vital help of the United States. Without her, we would probably have lost this war. We're getting the hang of this,” Yaremenko wrote. “But we also can't unsee all that makes the impression that the United States performs for the free world is not rock and roll, but some other music similar to Russian chanson.”Last month, Congress approved a package delivering military aid to Ukraine following months of pushback from some Republicans who suggested the $60 billion assistance was a waste of American tax dollars.
“Six months of waiting for the decision of the American Congress - to allocate money to swing in free and still alive Ukraine ... have taken the lives of very, very many defenders of the free world,” Yaremenko said. “Losses that could have been avoided if we had something to conduct a counter-battery fight and throw Russian aviation off the front lines.”
Russia has carried out a new offensive near Kharkiv as President Vladimir Putin looks to gain ground in the northern part of Ukraine. More than 30,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since the start of the war, according to Zelenskyy.
Oleg Symoroz, a Ukranian veteran, said Blinken’s performance was “as inappropriate as possible.”
“Not the right time, not the right time at all. So many people die every day because we don't have enough weapons and enough support from our allies," Symoroz wrote. “Therefore, such concerts, I'm sorry, are simply tactless and inappropriate. I advise the Secretary of State to visit a military cemetery instead of a bar.”However, Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko said Blinken should be the last person to receive bitter and angry sentiments.
“Yeah, maybe his attempt to demonstrate informality and soft power by playing a song at our favorite bar in central Kyiv took place at a bad time,” Ponomarenko posted.
“At the same time, we have people caught embezzling our money allocated for the national war effort, we have people who absolutely f----- up the construction of fortifications against Russia, and we have people who think more of their approval ratings than of national survival,” he continued.
The Department of State did not immediately return The National Desk’s request for comment Wednesday.
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