Pentagon chief makes surprise visit to Kiev — RT World News
Lloyd Austin arrived in the Ukrainian capital to reaffirm “unwavering support” amid concerns about US military aid
The Pentagon announced, on Monday, that US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kiev on an unannounced visit. The statement added that Trump held meetings with the Ukrainian leadership to reassure Washington about Washington’s commitment to providing military assistance to Ukraine. However, no specific new aid packages have been announced.
He added: “I am here today to send an important message that the United States will continue to stand by Ukraine.” Austin wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) where he shared a photo of himself greeting Ukrainian officials at a railway station in Kiev.
Later, he also said that he held talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and promised again “Unwavering US support for Ukraine.” He added that Washington and its allies will provide support to Ukrainian forces. “Immediate battlefield needs and long-term defense requirements.”
Neither Austin nor the Pentagon mentioned any specific new commitments regarding military assistance to Kiev. The US Department of Defense merely said that the discussions in Kiev focused on ensuring that Ukrainian forces obtain the necessary weapons “The capabilities they need on the battlefield” For next winter and beyond.
Two weeks ago, the Pentagon said there was only about $1 billion left for military aid to Ukraine. Deputy Defense Department spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said at the time that Washington had spent about 95% of its previous funding for Kiev. She urged Congress to pass a new Ukrainian aid spending bill so supplies could continue, adding that otherwise it would have to ration future deliveries. No such legislation has been adopted yet.
Earlier this week, Zelensky’s top aide, Mikhail Podolyak, criticized what he described as the slow pace of Western arms deliveries. Aid deliveries take between “90 or 120 days” Instead of the “Seven to ten days” He said that Washington and its allies.
A senior Russian lawmaker described Austin’s visit as a… “Moral support mission.” The main goal of the Pentagon chief in Kiev was to prevent Washington’s pet “Anti-Russian project” From collapse and reassurance “puppet system” In Ukraine of American support, Leonid Slutsky, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian Duma, wrote in a post on Telegram.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also said earlier this month “Despite the supply of new types of NATO weapons, the Kiev regime is losing.” Ukrainian forces have been launching a major counter-offensive operation since early June, but have failed to achieve any tangible results so far despite significant Western military support. Ukraine’s losses in the attack amounted to more than 90,000 soldiers, in addition to about 600 tanks and 2,000 armored vehicles, according to the Russian minister.
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