U.S. Defense Secretary Visits Ukraine in Show of Solidarity
Channel: Defense Now
Date: 2023-11-20

U.S. Defense Secretary Visits Ukraine in Show of Support
Lloyd J. Austin III’s trip was a gesture of solidarity when progress in the war against Russia has stalled and there are concerns about U.S. military aid.

"U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III's Mission: A Solidarity Gesture Amidst Stalled Progress and Concerns in the War Against Russia"

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III visited the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv on Monday, vowing support for its government at a time when progress in the war against Russia as well as U.S. military aid have both stalled.

Mr. Austin, who traveled overnight by train, met President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and other senior officials.

“I’m here today to deliver an important message — the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russia’s aggression, both now and into the future,” Mr. Austin said. “We, along with our allies and partners, will continue to support Ukraine’s urgent battlefield needs and long-term defense requirements,” he added.

Mr. Zelensky said he had discussed the battlefield situation with Mr. Austin. The meeting was particularly important ahead of a videoconference of defense ministers to coordinate military aid to Ukraine that Mr. Austin will host later this week, Mr. Zelensky said in a post on Telegram.

Rallying international backing as well as military aid has been a priority for Mr. Zelenskyy since Russia’s invasion in February of last year. But the country has faced a difficult few months amid signs of wavering support among some allies and the failure of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, begun in the summer, to achieve its main objectives.

Funding for Ukraine was omitted from a stopgap spending bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden last week, raising concerns about continuing military aid from the United States, which is by far the biggest backer of Kyiv’s war effort.

Some Republicans, including former President Donald J. Trump, say that aid to Ukraine should be stopped. Mr. Zelensky’s office also said that he met Lachlan Murdoch, chairman of Fox Corporation and News Corp, on Monday. It was unclear whether the meeting was part of a broader effort by Ukraine’s government to bolster its influence in Republican circles.

Mr. Zelensky alluded to the issue of international support for Ukraine in a speech released overnight in which he reiterated his view that Ukraine’s struggle matters beyond his country’s own fate.

Defense Now - November 2023
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Scheduled from Nov 20 2023 1:30 PM EST to Nov 20 2023 1:44 PM EST
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks to the news media after a series of meetings with senior leaders in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Film Credits: Defense.gov 

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