WATCH: Blinken Plays Guitar With Ukrainian Band As Russia Makes Biggest Advances Since 2022

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is catching heat on social media over a performance of “Rocking in a Free World” in a Kiev bar during his trip to Ukraine. The performance comes just days after Russia conducted one of its biggest advances since 2022 in the Kharkov direction.

Blinken arrived in Kiev on Monday in order to reaffirm American support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Blinken’s visit marks the first from a top U.S. official since the passing of a $90 billion foreign aid package, $60 billion of which will be going to Ukraine. “I have come to Ukraine with a message: You are not alone,” he said during a speech at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.

On Tuesday, America’s top diplomat joined members of the Ukrainian rock band 19.99 for a performance of “Rockin in the USA.”

“And listen, I know this is a really, really difficult time,” Blinken said from the stage of Barman Dictat while dressed in a black shirt and jeans. “Your soldiers, your citizens, particularly in the northeast in Kharkiv, are suffering tremendously. But they need to know, you need to know, the United States is with you, so much of the world is with you. And they’re fighting not just for a free Ukraine but for the free world, and the free world is with you too.”

The video was met with scorn and disbelief from X users, including from a number of Ukrainians who felt the post was “tone deaf” considering the situation on the ground.

“While some in the West view Blinken’s performance in a bar in Kyiv as an example of soft power and diplomacy, most Ukrainians in my feed consider it tone-deaf, given the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region and the difficult situation with power outages in the country,” said Ukrainian Pentagon correspondent Ostap Yarysh.

The performance comes just days after the Russian Armed Forces made significant advances in the Kharkov direction, just miles from the nation’s second most populous city. More than 6,000 civilians have been forced to flee after Russian troops advanced on the city of Vovchansk, located just five miles from the Russian border.

Russian troops had previously retreated from much of the Kharkov region after a successful Ukrainian counterattack in late 2022. Gains on either side have been minimal since then, though the Russian Army is now starting to advance more in the Donetsk and Kharkov regions.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Blinken to provide more military support to the Ukrainian military, including additional air defense support, during their meeting on Monday.

We want to get it as soon as possible, and the second point is air defense, the biggest deficit for us. I think the biggest problem is that we really need today two patriots for the Kharkiv region, because there are people – they are under attack, civilians, warriors, everybody – they are under Russian missiles,” he told reporters.

Blinken claimed that the $60 billion aid package had “significant” support from the majority of Americans before acknowledging the delay. “After the delay in approving the latest US assistance package to Ukraine, a delay that left you more vulnerable to Russia’s attacks, some Ukrainians may be wondering whether you can count on America to sustain its commitment,” Blinken said in his speech. “The $60 billion aid package that was approved by our Congress, with overwhelming support across both political parties in both houses of Congress, I think demonstrates that you can.”

On the topic of elections in Ukraine, Blinken told reporters that they will continue to be delayed so long as the war goes on.

“We’re working with the government and civil society groups to shore up Ukraine’s election infrastructure. That way, as soon as Ukrainians agree the conditions allow, all Ukrainians. All Ukrainians, including those displaced by Russia’s aggression, can exercise their right to vote,” he said. “People in Ukraine and around the world can have confidence that the voting process is free, fair, secure.”

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