NonilexNov 21, 2023

Monday, #DefSec #LloydAustin arrived in #Kyiv in a bid to offer some reassurance to #Ukraine’s leaders on behalf of the #Biden admin. #Austin met w/ #Zelensky & Defense Minister Rustem #Umerov, as well as Gen. Valery #Zaluzhny, the country’s top #military officer.

#Russia #war #Putin #geopolitics
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/11/20/ukraine-aid-washington-anxiety-austin/

Austin visits Kyiv as worries rise over U.S. military funding

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made his second visit to the capital of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion as the Biden administration pledges aid will continue.

The Washington Post
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“Our congressional members have valid questions & we will answer, but I would point out that #Ukraine matters, what happens here matters, not just to Ukraine but to the entire world,” #DefSec #LloydAustin told reporters after meeting Ukrainian ofcls.

The visit by Austin & Gen Christopher Cavoli, (commander of US #EUCOM & #NATO #SACEUR) was also intended to signal that American support will not be undermined by #Israel’s war w/ #Hamas….

#Russia #war #Putin #geopolitics #Biden #Zelensky

Nov 21, 2023 at 12:53amWeb
Show threadNonilexNov 21, 2023
#DefSec #LlyodAustin announced that the US military would send ~$100M in additional donations of US equipment to Kyiv, including Stinger antiaircraft missiles, artillery shells & cold-weather gear. The size of that package, smaller than most previous announcements, appeared to reflect the new reality of tighter constraints in US support to #Ukraine.

He also said Ukrainian forces had what they needed to fight #Russia over the winter — despite the setbacks during summer & fall.
Show threadNonilexNov 21, 2023

“Without US assistance we can’t simply not stop the Russian invasion, we can’t survive,” said Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament’s commissioner for #HumanRights. “We paid for the will to be independent every day with our health and lives, but we don’t want to simply die w/o military [&] financial assistance. It’s not only my position — I can confirm that this is the position of 99% of our population.”

#DefSec #LloydAustin #Ukraine #Russia #war #Putin #geopolitics #Biden #Zelensky