Pentagon Chief, Ukrainian Defense Minister Discuss Military Aid Issues
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov held a phone call, discussing Western military aid to Kiev, Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder said.
According to him, the parties touched upon "the latest on the situation on the ground" and "security assistance priorities", TASS reported.
Austin visited Kiev at the beginning of the week to meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and the country’s defense minister. The Pentagon chief later announced an additional military aid package for Kiev worth $100 mln. However, Austin said at a joint press conference with Zelensky that there was no weapon in the US arsenal that could become a magic wand for the Ukrainian army and everything depended on how Ukraine was using weapons provided by the West.
Earlier, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that the US administration had spent 96% of the funds allocated for Ukraine. Kirby stressed that the lack of major aid from the US would have a negative impact on Ukraine’s defense capability.
