US defence secretary meets Zelenskyy in Kyiv to show steadfast support for Ukraine

Kyiv: US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin made an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday in a high-profile push to keep money and weapons flowing to Ukraine even as US and international resources are stretched by the new global risks raised by the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Austin, who travelled to Kyiv by train from Poland, met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and was scheduled to meet with Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and Chief of Staff Gen Valerii Zaluzhnyi.

US officials said Austin intended to tell Ukrainian officials that American support for efforts to defeat Russia’s invasion is steadfast and will continue, even as the world’s attention is drawn to the Middle East and signs of fatigue set in with the almost 21-month war. “I’m here today to deliver an important message the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russia’s aggression, both now and into the future,” Austin posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

This is Austin’s second trip to Kyiv, but he’s making it under far different circumstances. His first visit occurred in April 2022, just two months after the start of the war. At the time, Ukraine was riding a wave of global rage at Moscow’s invasion, and Austin launched an international effort that now sees 50 countries meet monthly to coordinate on what weapons, training and other support could be pushed to Kyiv.

But the conflict in Gaza could pull attention and resources from the Ukraine fight.

The US has worked feverishly since the Oct 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel, and the weeks of devastating bombardment on Gaza by Israel that has followed, killing more than 10,000 civilians, to keep those attacks from turning into a regional war. The US has already committed two carrier strike groups, scores of fighter jets and thousands of US personnel to the Middle East, and has had to shift its force posture and conduct airstrikes against Iranian-backed militant groups that are now hitting US bases in Iraq and Syria on a regular basis.

To date, Ukraine has received more than 44 billion from the US and more than 35 billion from other allies in weapons, rangingfrom millions of bulletsto air defence systems, advanced European and US battle tanks and, finally, pledges for F-16 fighter jets.

But Ukraine still needs more, and after almost 20 months of hipping arms to Ukraine, cracks are beginning to

show.