09:23 21.10.2024

US Defense Secretary Austin arrives in Kyiv – media

2 min read
US Defense Secretary Austin arrives in Kyiv – media

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv early Monday morning, CNN reports.

Austin will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Kyiv to discuss Ukraine's weapons needs and how the U.S. can continue to support the country's military over the next year, the minister told a small group of reporters who traveled with him to Kyiv on Sunday evening.

“It’s been absolutely remarkable that Ukraine has been able to do what it’s done … It’s been able to do that, of course, because of the fact that we have supported them from the very beginning, and we’ve rallied some 50 countries to be a part of that support,” the minister told journalists.

The senior defense official said the Pentagon is still planning as though the support will continue, and Austin said Friday that “every day, we are building long-term capability to Ukraine.” The publication also notes that American officials are counting on maintaining bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress.

As Radio Liberty notes, this is Austin’s fourth and likely last visit to Ukraine as head of the Pentagon under President Joe Biden.

“I’m back in Ukraine for the fourth time as Secretary of Defense, demonstrating that the United States, alongside the international community, continues to stand by Ukraine,” Austin said on X.

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