US Secretary of Defense: "Russia is an Obstacle to Peaceful Resolution"

"Stop Cyberattacks Targeting the US and Allies"
"Europe Remains an Important Region for Us" Emphasized

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine and harshly criticized Russia for obstructing regional stability and peace. He pledged continued U.S. support for Ukraine and emphasized that Europe remains an important region for the United States. This move is interpreted as an effort to alleviate security concerns of pro-Western countries in Eastern Europe bordering Russia and to strengthen alliances with the U.S.

According to CNN on the 19th (local time), Secretary Austin held talks with Ukrainian Defense Minister Andriy Taran in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. At a joint press conference after the meeting, Austin stated, "Russia is an obstacle to regional security and peaceful resolution," and condemned the forced annexation of Crimea, urging an end to the war in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. He also emphasized, "Russia must stop cyberattacks against the United States, its allies, and partners."

He added, "The United States will provide all possible support to help Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity," explaining, "Since 2014, the U.S. has provided over $2.5 billion in support to the Ukrainian military to preserve Ukraine's territorial integrity." Ukrainian Defense Minister Taran responded, "We hope the U.S. will deter Russia from expanding the Donbas conflict into a full-scale war."

Secretary Austin also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the same day to discuss Ukraine's NATO membership and responses to Russian offensives. This meeting was reportedly to discuss detailed cooperation plans promised after President Zelenskyy’s summit at the White House with U.S. President Joe Biden earlier last month.

Austin emphasized, "Ukraine is unquestionably a strategic partner of the United States," and "Europe remains important to us." This statement is interpreted as acknowledging the increased unease among Eastern European countries following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, citing the need to concentrate efforts on countering China.

Coinciding with Austin’s visit to Ukraine, the second batch of U.S. defense aid supplies arrived in Kyiv the day before, though specific details of the supplies were not disclosed. The U.S. Department of Defense stressed, "The total material support agreed upon at the bilateral summit amounts to $60 million (approximately 6.95 billion KRW), which is additional to the previously agreed $250 million."

Following his visit to Ukraine, Secretary Austin is scheduled to visit Romania, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Eastern Europe, on the 20th, and then attend a NATO defense ministers’ meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, for two days starting on the 21st.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.