WASHINGTON.- Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed Monday that the United States will continue sending weapons to Ukraine as Ukrainian forces face one of their toughest times against a new Russian offensive.
Austin met with about 50 defense leaders from Europe and around the world on Monday to coordinate more aid to Ukraine, as kyiv tries to resist a Russian offensive in the northeast and launches its own massive assault on the peninsula. of Crimea, occupied by Russia.
“We are meeting at a challenging time,” Austin said, noting that the Russian offensive in Kharkiv demonstrates why everyone’s commitment to continuing to send aid to Ukraine is vital. Austin promised to continue sending aid to kyiv “week after week.”
The United States did not announce any new aid package on Monday, even as Ukrainian forces complain that too little weapons are arriving after a delay of several months due to disputes in the US Congress over funding. Pentagon officials have said that weapons previously stationed in Europe began entering Ukraine shortly after the aid package was approved.
It is unclear how many weapons have reached the front lines, where Russian troops have intensified their offensive.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday during his visit to China that the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region seeks to create a buffer zone, but that there are no plans to capture the city.
Ukrainian troops have been fighting to slow the Russian advance in the Kharkiv region and at the same time are increasing their offensive attacks in Crimea, including against military infrastructure on the Black Sea and Sevastopol, a Russian-occupied city.
Ukraine has struggled to bring enough troops to the front as the war enters its third year and fighting grips the country. In an effort to boost troop numbers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed two laws, allowing prisoners to join the military and increasing fines for those who try to evade the draft. The controversial mobilization law comes into force on Saturday.
Source: With information from AP
