Alexander Smith is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital based in London.
During a surprise visit to Kyiv, Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the stage alongside a local band, 19.99, and play Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Wearing a black, tucked-in shirt and blue jeans, and wielding a cherry red Epiphone guitar, the 62-year-old secretary of state started with a few words to the crowd at Barman Dictat, a legendary, speakeasy-style venue in a basement in downtown Kyiv. “I know this is a really, really difficult time.
“Yes, we are very grateful for the vital help of the United States. Without it, we would probably have lost this war,” he said. “But we also can’t unsee everything that gives the impression that what the United States performs for the free world is not rock ‘n’ roll, but some other music similar to Russian chanson” — referencing a genre of traditional Russian music. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the criticism of Blinken’s appearance on stage.
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