Washington DC [US]: US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III reaffirmed the country’s dedication to support Ukraine and asserted that Kiev’s resilience will help it prevail over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and atrocities.
The remarks by Austin came as he met with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov at the Pentagon today.
Austin also condemned Russia’s assault on Ukraine’s critical civilian infrastructure earlier this week and said the US will continue to lead allies and partners in delivering key capabilities to help Ukraine defend itself, a press release by Pentagon said.
“Let me be clear, it is never acceptable to target civilians, and Ukraine’s resilience will help it prevail over Putin’s aggression and atrocities,” he said.
Austin added that Ukrainian forces have continued to remain steadfast. “They continue to fend off [the] Kremlin’s assault and to inflict major losses on Russian invaders,” he said. “So, make no mistake, the United States will not waiver in our support for a free and sovereign Ukraine.”
The two leaders met on August 30 ahead of next week’s meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Nearly 50 allies and partners committed to the defense of Ukraine will gather there for the 24th iteration of the US-led coalition.
Austin said the partners will push to meet Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs, including air-defence capabilities to fend off Russian drone and missile attacks, at the meeting.
The efforts add to the United States’ continued push to ensure Ukraine has the capabilities needed to defend its territory and deter Russian aggression in the long-term.
Meanwhile, Umerov shared a post on X and said, “Was honored to meet with Lloyd Austin in the United States. An important, constructive meeting. I briefed the Secretary on the operational situation on the battlefield and our further objectives, the priority needs of the Ukrainian army in terms of weapons, equipment and training of our troops.”
Umerov stressed that Ukraine’s priority is to boost its air defence systems for shielding its infrastructure and civilians. “Air defense remains our priority–we need air defense systems and interceptors to protect our critical infrastructure, our cities, and our people. Special thanks to Lloyd Austin for his personal contribution to the work of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group,” the post said.
Umerov further added, “Another focus of the meeting is the development of the Ukrainian defense industry. Over the past two years, we have launched hundreds of new businesses capable of rapidly producing high-quality weapons. Cooperation with our partners is critical for expanding production and ensuring an even more effective defense of Ukraine.”