Zelenskyy, Austin urge continued US support for Ukraine in final meeting

LLOYD AUSTIN
U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY
“No responsible leader would let Putin have his way.”

[ryan robertson]
A NOT-SO-VEILED COMMENT FROM OUTGOING U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN AIMED AT INCOMING PRESIDENT ELECT DONALD TRUMP.

AUSTIN AND UKRAINE’S PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, USED THEIR FINAL HIGH-PROFILE MEETING AT RAMSTEIN AIR BASE IN GERMANY TO EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR CONTINUED INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE
ADDRESSING LEADERS FROM AROUND 50 NATIONS AT THE UKRAINE DEFENSE CONTACT GROUP MEETING, AUSTIN WARNED REDUCING MILITARY AID COULD LEAD TO GREATER INSTABILITY AND URGED UNWAVERING SUPPORT.

WITHOUT DIRECTLY ADDRESSING PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S POLICIES, DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN MADE IT CLEAR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE IS CRUCIAL TO MAINTAIN THE RULES-BASED INTERNATIONAL ORDER. AUSTIN SAYS HALTING MILITARY AID NOW WOULD INVITE “MORE AGGRESSION, CHAOS, AND WAR.”

LLOYD AUSTIN
U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY
“I’m leaving this contact group, not with a farewell, but with a challenge. The coalition to support Ukraine must not flinch. It must not falter, and it must not fail. Ukraine’s survival is on the line. But so is all of our security.”

[ryan robertson]

AUSTIN ACKNOWLEDGED UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION’S APPROACH, BUT POINTED TO THE COALITION’S PROGRESS AND URGED LEADERS TO REMAIN COMMITTED.

ZELENSKYY ECHOED THESE CONCERNS, FRAMING UKRAINE’S FIGHT AS A BROADER DEFENSE OF SOVEREIGNTY

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT
“No matter what’s going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will not just be erased off the map.”

[ryan robertson]
IN ITS FINAL WEEKS, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS FOCUSING ON BOLSTERING UKRAINE’S DEFENSES—WHICH WE COVERED EARLIER THIS WEEK. A RECENTLY APPROVED $500 MILLION WEAPONS PACKAGE INCLUDES AIR DEFENSE MISSILES, SUSTAINMENT EQUIPMENT FOR F-16 FIGHTER JETS, AND OTHER CRITICAL SUPPLIES. THE PENTAGON IS WORKING TO DELIVER THE AID BEFORE TRUMP’S INAUGURATION ON JANUARY 20.

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