Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had a telephone conversation yesterday, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said.
The heads of the military departments discussed the priority directions of the American aid to Ukraine, as well as the current operations of the armed forces of Ukraine.
Austin and Umerov also emphasized the support of allies and partners to “meet Ukraine’s urgent military needs.”
“Umerov provided information on the dynamics of military operations, as well as the consequences of Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine,” the Pentagon press service said.
After the phone conversation, Austin made a post on his X page, specifically emphasizing that “the United States is committed to helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression.”
In his turn, Umerov made a note in X, called the conversation effective and noted that he presented Austin with the situation on the front line and the priority needs of the Ukrainian defense forces.
He thanked Washington “for its continuous and comprehensive support since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion.”
On August 13, US Deputy Secretary of State James O’Brien arrived in Kiev against the background of ongoing large-scale military operations in the Kursk region of Russia.
Bridget Brinks, the United States ambassador to Ukraine, welcomed O’Brien’s visit to Kyiv, stressing that “this visit has a big message.”
“The support of the USA to Ukraine is unwavering,” the ambassador wrote in X.
US President Joe Biden, commenting for the first time on the attack of Ukrainian forces on Kursk, said that it “creates a real dilemma for Putin”.