"We will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its territorial sovereignty ," Austin declared during his visit.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv after an overnight train journey from Poland on October 21. (Photo: Reuters)
This is Austin's fourth and possibly final visit as head of the Pentagon under President Joe Biden. The trip is expected to include in-depth discussions on Washington's efforts to help Kyiv bolster its defenses amid Russian military control of large swathes of territory in eastern Ukraine.
However, no new agreement is expected regarding some of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's major demands, such as lifting Washington's restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons to attack targets within Russian territory.
"We are monitoring the developments of this conflict over time and are acting to meet Ukraine's needs to ensure they are effective on the battlefield," Austin said.
Austin's visit comes ahead of the US presidential election on November 5th. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is seeking re-election in a close race against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate.
Trump has repeatedly opposed the Biden administration's support for Ukraine. This could cost Kyiv its biggest source of military and financial support if Trump is re-elected.
Austin's visit eased those concerns. He said, "I've seen bipartisan support for Ukraine over the last 2.5 years, and I'm absolutely confident that we will continue to see bipartisan support from Congress ."
Austin was one of Ukraine's strongest supporters, building a coalition of dozens of countries that supplied weapons to Kyiv.
However, even with billions of dollars in US military support, including the provision of F-16 fighter jets, Abrams tanks, and various other weapons, Ukraine still faces a difficult battle ahead.
In recent weeks, Russia has besieged towns in the Donetsk region and then slowly tightened the noose until Ukrainian units were forced to retreat. "It's been a very difficult and arduous fight," Austin said.
When asked about the Ukrainian president's "plan to win," Austin said, "I am not in a position to publicly assess his plan."
The US Secretary of Defense met with the Ukrainian president for the last time on October 17 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where Zelensky presented his "plan for victory." The Ukrainian president received assurances of continued support but no confirmation from key allies regarding his call for immediate NATO membership.
Source: https://vtcnews.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-tham-ukraine-khang-dinh-su-ung-ho-voi-kiev-ar903053.html
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