The United States backing of Ukraine as it continues to fight against the Russian invasion will not waver, according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. This robust support for Ukraine was confirmed during Secretary Austin's recent surprise visit to Kyiv.
The details surrounding Secretary Austin's recent trip have been further elucidated. Austin was in Ukraine's capital, Kyiv on Nov. 20 to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov during an unexpected trip to the country, according to a U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) press release. The leaders discussed Ukraine's current operations, along with short-term goals and objectives.
During his visit, Secretary Austin sought to reassure Ukrainian leadership about America's commitment. "I wanted to reassure the leadership that the United States of America will continue to support Ukraine," he said. "We talked about the things that we're going to continue to do to make sure they have what they need to be successful on the battlefield."
This meeting also offered an opportunity for outlining specific plans for continued cooperation between the two nations. According to the release, the trip marked Austin’s third visit to the country as defense secretary and second since Russia's invasion. Austin emphasized that talks with Ukraine leaders provided the chance to outline plans between the ongoing operations and objectives on the battlefield. A new security assistance package for Ukraine estimated at $100 million was also announced.
The specifics of this generous aid package were also shared. The aid will involve artillery ammunition, anti-tank weapons, additional air defense capabilities and other resources to help Ukrainian forces fend off the ongoing Russian invasion, according to the press release. Since August 2021, there have been 51 drawdowns of U.S. inventory for Ukraine and America has given $44.2 billion to help Ukraine in its war with Russia.
Secretary Austin also highlighted the role of international coalitions in supporting Ukraine. The U.S.-backed group, Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, which consists of roughly 50 countries will continue to back Ukraine in their effort to fend off Russia, said Austin in the news release. Nearly $36 billion has been given by the international coalition for security assistance to help Ukraine forces defend the country and engage in efforts to get back territory occupied by Russian forces.
Finally, Secretary Austin praised the collective effort and response from allies. "That group has roared into action, and we have continued to work together to provide much needed security assistance in the form of [High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems], other artillery platforms, tanks [and] munitions," Austin said. "And so, really good work on the part of our allies."
