The American Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, is visiting Ukraine in a show of Washington’s support for Kyiv, just two weeks before the U.S. presidential elections.
It is reported that Austin’s trip, his fourth and possibly final visit as Pentagon chief under President Joe Biden, will involve in-depth discussions about U.S. efforts to help Kyiv strengthen its defense.
However, it is not expected to include a new U.S. agreement on some of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s most significant requests, such as lifting restrictions on the use of Western weapons to strike targets deep within Russian territory.
As the Biden administration comes to an end, Austin signaled the continuity of U.S. support for Ukraine, Reuters reports, as conveyed by Telegrafi.
“We will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its sovereign territory,” Austin said.
“We have seen this war evolve over time. And as it evolves, we have made the case to meet Ukraine’s needs to ensure they are effective on the battlefield,” he added.
Moreover, his visit comes ahead of the presidential elections on November 5 in the U.S., where former President Donald Trump is seeking reelection in a tight race against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump has signaled that he would be more hesitant than Biden to continue supporting Ukraine, which could deprive Kyiv of its largest military and financial backer.
However, Austin dismissed concerns, stating that he saw bipartisan support for Ukraine from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
“I have seen bipartisan support for Ukraine and I expect that we will continue to see it,” the Pentagon chief said.
Meanwhile, Kyiv has sought to keep its war in focus in the West, even as rising conflicts in the Middle East are drawing international attention.
Zelensky last met with Austin in Brussels at NATO headquarters, where he presented his “victory plan.”
The Ukrainian leader received promises for continued support, but no approval from key allies for his call for immediate NATO membership.
When asked about Zelensky’s victory plan at NATO headquarters, Austin responded: “It is not my position to publicly evaluate his plan.
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