Grant Shapps is next asked on BBC Breakfast if Ukraine was facing a difficult summer, given recent Russian incursions in the area around Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv.

"I have no doubt it will be a difficult summer but I have no doubt that Ukraine will work its way through it," the UK defence secretary says.

He also stresses that Ukraine has "always exceeded the world's expectations" and that it has been difficult for the country since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

We'll be hearing from Shapps again on the Today programme after 08:10 BST, and we'll bring you more of what he says then.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps begins by saying that the UK is "very much supporting, strategically" what Ukraine is doing.

He notes the US's latest support package follows a package from the UK. As a reminder, last month Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed that the UK would provide an extra £500m on top of the £2.5bn in military aid it had already pledged to give Ukraine in 2024.

This will pay for extra missiles, ammunition, armoured vehicles and all terrain vehicles., external

Shapps is next asked on BBC Breakfast whether the US was partly to blame for Russia's recent advances in Kharkiv.

He responds that he does think it's concerning that the world took its eye off the ball and that it was known that Ukraine would need more military equipment.

He says he knows internal politics in the US have created some issues but that we can't go back in time, rather we can offer support going forward.

UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is now speaking to BBC Breakfast about the latest from Ukraine.

It was announced last month that the UK would provide an additional £500m in military aid to Kyiv on top of the £2.5bn allocated for this financial year.

We'll bring you the latest on what Shapps has to say, so keep following along on this page.

Antony Blinken is not the only Western politician to have visited Ukraine in recent days.

Labour’s Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey were in Kyiv yesterday to meet Ukraine’s Head of The President’s Office Andriy Yermak and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.

Labour has outlined a plan with the party’s next steps for Ukraine – among five priorities are pledges to fast-track military support, target Russian aggression and support recovery and reconstruction.

Within a joint statement they said: “The next Labour government’s commitment to Ukraine will be ironclad and European security will be our first foreign and defence priority. Labour’s action plan lays out a wide-ranging approach to stand with Ukraine, confront Russian aggression and pursue Putin for his war crimes. We will stand with Ukraine until it wins.”

In a pre-election speech yesterday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Labour would not match Tory defence spending.

Antony Blinken's visit comes against a background of renewed tension after Russia said its forces had entered the north-eastern border town of Vovchansk, near Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv.

Ukraine's military said it had "pushed the enemy back" from the northern outskirts of the town, adding it had "tactical successes" in several areas.

Russia has intensified its attacks on the region following Friday's surprise incursions across the border, seizing at least nine villages and settlements in one of the most significant ground attacks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Thousands of civilians have fled towards Kharkiv and there are concerns among Ukrainian commanders about what could happen if Russian troops get within artillery-range of the city.

• You can read more on the latest from Kharkiv here

Image source, .

The US secretary of state started his journey on Sunday, travelling by plane and train to make the surprise visit to Ukraine.

As we've mentioned, Antony Blinken arrived by sleeper train this morning, rolling into Kyiv after a nine-hour journey from the Polish border.

It came after he touched down on Monday in the south-eastern Polish town of Rzeszów, whose airport is now a major logistical hub bringing defence supplies and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The secretary of state's arrival today marks three weeks since the US Congress finally agreed a new $61bn (£49bn) aid package for Ukraine.

It took a delicate bipartisan deal to get the package through after it faced fierce opposition in Congress – chiefly from House Republicans who argued money should be spent on the US-Mexico border before it’s sent overseas.

The aid package includes munitions support to bolster Ukraine’s air defence systems and replenish missile supplies.

Ahead of Blinken's arrival in Kyiv, a senior US official said American-funded weapons were now arriving at the front line, including air defence interceptors, artillery and ATACMS long-range precision guided missiles.

"We have already started to flow in artillery [and] long-range ATACMS that can range any part of Ukraine, and also other air defence capabilities that are meant to meet the most pressing needs, particularly with an eye towards Russia's activities right now in Kharkiv," the official said.

Tom Bateman
BBC News, travelling with Antony Blinken

Image source, Getty Images

Antony Blinken arrived by sleeper train from the Polish border, rolling into Kyiv to be greeted at dawn by a VIP delegation.

Ukraine’s wartime railways have become a symbol of resilience: Washington’s weapons approvals for the country have not been such an express service.

The US secretary of state is meeting President Zelensky after Congress finally overcame more than a year of partisan paralysis when it approved £61bn worth of assistance last month.

Ukraine has struggled on the front line while it waited.

On Friday Russia launched a surprise offensive across the border towards Kharkiv while Ukrainian forces continue to fight a grinding battle on the eastern front.

A senior US official said weapons from the newly agreed package have begun to arrive at the front line, including artillery and long-range precision guided missiles.

The official said Blinken would deliver a message of strong reassurance at a difficult moment for Ukrainians, and will have talks on helping the country take back the military initiative from Russia.

Marita Moloney
Live editor

Welcome to our live coverage of the latest on the war in Ukraine as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Kyiv for a surprise visit.

Blinken landed in the Ukrainian capital this morning after a nine-hour journey via sleeper train from the Polish border.

He is due to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and other officials today, during which he's expected to deliver a message of “strong reassurance” to the Ukrainians.

His visit comes as the country struggles to hold back a major Russian incursion near its second biggest city of Kharkiv.

Blinken's arrival also marks three weeks since the US Congress finally agreed a new $61bn (£49bn) aid package for Ukraine.

Our teams in London and Ukraine and our correspondent Tom Bateman, who is travelling with Blinken, will be bringing you updates and analysis throughout the day, so stay with us.