Russia’s deputy military commander said Moscow's goal is to control Donbas and southern Ukraine, which would give Russia access the separatist Moldovan enclave of Transnistria and block Kyiv’s access to the Black Sea. But U.S. officials vow to help Ukraine defend itself, as VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. As Russia’s assault on Ukraine continues in the city of Kharkiv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal to the State Department Friday. Blinken again expressed confidence that Ukraine will prevail in the war. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State: "I think this is the first visit since the Russian aggression by a senior official of the Ukrainian government, further evidence that an independent, sovereign Ukraine is going to be around a lot longer than Vladimir Putin.” Both Prime Minister Shmyhal and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. and other Western partners for “finally” providing the weapons Ukraine needs to fight back against Russia’s offensive in Donbas and southern Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian President: “And I am grateful to all our partners who finally heard us, who are providing us with exactly what we asked for. Because we know for sure that with these weapons, we will be able to save the lives of thousands of people." At the Pentagon, press secretary John Kirby was asked whether Ukraine's forces, now that they're getting heavy weapons, would be able to beat back the invading Russians. John Kirby, Pentagon Press Secretary “I think that's a question that only the Ukrainian armed forces can answer, not the United States military. What I can tell you is that we, in keeping with another 30 plus nations, are doing everything we can to give them the tools that they need to defend themselves and to push the Russians out. “ Some observers say the U.S. assessment of Ukraine’s ability to win has shifted over the past couple of weeks. Anne Applebaum, Historian: "Until the last week or so, I think Americans still weren't wholly convinced that Ukraine could win. And there were some doubts about whether, you know, these heavy weapons were necessary and so on. As I said, it feels to me like there's been a shift in the last week, and the decisions to give much more serious weapons have now been made.” Ahead of Orthodox Easter this Sunday, European Council President Charles Michel said he strongly appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call Friday to allow humanitarian access to the besieged city of Mariupol, where civilians remain trapped. Originally published at - https://www.voanews.com/a/zelenskyy-thanks-partners-for-finally-providing-the-weapons-ukraine-needs/6541848.html » Subscribe to VOA News: https://bit.ly/3KIPysi » Watch more VOA News video: https://www.youtube.com/c/VOANews Voice of America (VOA) is the largest U.S. international broadcaster, providing news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of 236.8 million people. VOA produces content for digital, television, and radio platforms. It is easily accessed via your mobile phone and on social media. It is also distributed by satellite, cable, FM and MW, and is carried on a network of approximately 3,000 affiliate stations. Since its creation in 1942, Voice of America has been committed to providing comprehensive coverage of the news and telling audiences the truth. Through World War II, the Cold War, the fight against global terrorism, and the struggle for freedom around the globe today, VOA exemplifies the principles of a free press. Connect with VOA News: » VISIT OUR WEBSITE: https://www.voanews.com/ » LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/voiceofamerica » FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/voanews/ » FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://twitter.com/VOANews