Lloyd Austin “traveled to Ukraine today to meet with Ukrainian leaders and to reaffirm the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine’s struggle for freedom,” the Pentagon said. The visit was not announced in advance for security reasons.
“I have just arrived in Kyiv to meet the leaders of Ukraine,” the minister wrote on X. He added that he brought an “important message” that “the United States will continue to support Ukraine.” Austin also posted a photo of US Ambassador to Kyiv Bridget Brink welcoming him at a train station in the Ukrainian capital.
During the day, Austin announced a new military aid package worth 100 million dollars (HUF 34 billion), promising long-term support to the leadership in Kyiv.
As he said, with the current shipment, anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons arrive in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, receiving the American minister, said that his visit is “a very important signal for Ukraine”. “We count on their support,” he added.
The day before, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder announced that the next meeting of the group established to coordinate Western arms shipments to Ukraine will be held this week in the form of a video conference.
Earlier, John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communications at the White House National Security Council, said that the US government has already spent about 96 percent of the funds allocated to help Kyiv. He stressed that the lack of further large-scale aid from the United States would have a detrimental effect on Ukraine’s defense capabilities.
Cover image credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Tags: America throwing HUF billion military aid package Ukraine
