US Defense Secretary visits Ukraine, affirms support for Kiev

"We will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to protect its territorial sovereignty ," Mr. Austin said during the visit.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrives in Kiev after an overnight train from Poland, October 21. (Photo: Reuters)

Austin’s fourth and likely final visit as Pentagon chief under President Joe Biden is expected to include in-depth discussions on Washington’s efforts to help Kiev bolster its defenses as Russian troops seize control of large swaths of eastern Ukraine.

However, no new agreements are expected to be reached on some of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's major demands, such as lifting Washington's restrictions on using US-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

"We monitor this war over time and take action to meet Ukraine's needs to ensure they are effective on the battlefield," Austin said.

Mr. Austin's visit comes ahead of the US presidential election on November 5. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, is seeking re-election in a tight race with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly opposed the Biden administration's support for Ukraine, which could see Kiev lose its largest source of military and financial support if Mr. Trump is re-elected.

Mr Austin's visit downplayed those concerns. "I've seen bipartisan support for Ukraine over the last two and a half years, and I'm absolutely confident that we'll continue to see bipartisan support from Congress ," he said.

Mr Austin has been one of Ukraine's strongest supporters, building a coalition of dozens of countries that supplies weapons to Kiev.

However, even with billions of dollars worth of US military assistance, including the provision of F-16 fighter jets, Abrams tanks and other weapons, Ukraine still faces an uphill battle ahead.

In recent weeks, Russia has surrounded towns in the Donetsk region and then slowly tightened the siege until Ukrainian units were forced to retreat. “It was a very difficult and arduous fight,” Mr. Austin said.

Asked about the Ukrainian president's "victory plan," Austin said: "I'm not in a position to publicly assess his plan."

The US defense secretary last met with the Ukrainian president on October 17 at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, where Zelensky presented his “plan for victory.” The Ukrainian president received a pledge of continued support but no confirmation from key allies of his call for an immediate invitation to join NATO.

Hoa Vu (Source: Reuters)

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/bo-truong-quoc-phong-my-tham-ukraine-khang-dinh-su-ung-ho-voi-kiev-ar903053.html