Pentagon chief visits Ukraine in show of support ahead of U.S. election
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine on Monday, in a show of solidarity with Kyiv just two weeks ahead of a U.S. presidential election that is casting uncertainty over the future of Western support.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine on Monday, in a show of solidarity with Kyiv just two weeks ahead of a U.S. presidential election that is casting uncertainty over the future of Western support.
Austin’s trip, his fourth and likely final visit as President Joe Biden’s Pentagon chief, will include in-depth discussions about U.S. efforts to help Kyiv shore up its defenses as Russian forces gain ground in eastern Ukraine.
But it is not expected to include any new agreement to some of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s biggest requests, such as lifting Washington’s restrictions on using U.S.-supplied weapons to hit targets far beyond Ukraine’s borders.
As Biden’s administration winds down, Austin signalled continuity in U.S. support.
“We’re going to continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its sovereign territory,” Austin told reporters travelling with him to Ukraine.
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