The Secretary of Defense of USA, Lloyd Austinannounced today at the opening of the meeting of the Contact Group for the Defense of Ukraine that the US, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Czech Republic will urgently send artillery, Patriot batteries and HIMARS to Ukraine.
The shipment detail comes after several announcements of international aid, including $1 billion in military hardware that Washington will release immediately as part of a newly approved $61 billion package.
“If Ukraine falls under the boot of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, Europe will fall under his shadow. “That is why we are determined to deter Russia from any new aggression, including against NATO allies.”stressed the Secretary of Defense.
Austin praised the decision of the Czech Republic to send thousands of artillery pieces; the decision of United Kingdom approving a $620 million military aid package and Germany’s donation of another Patriot missile system.
The head of the Pentagon confirmed that the United States will urgently send to Ukraine ammunition for HIMARS batteries, which allow attacking Russian positions far from the front, advanced 155-millimeter artillery ammunition and air defense systems on armored vehicles.
Austin reiterated that right now the most pressing need for Ukraine is to improve its anti-aircraft defenses to prevent Russia from taking air hegemony in key parts of Ukrainian territory.
In a recorded message the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenskisaid Ukraine needs “at least seven Patriot batteries” and missiles “urgently” and more artillery to confront Russia.
«We must remember that predatory regimes like the Russian one are rapidly increasing their appetite for aggression. When they are successful in one part of the world, they create problems in other places and the aggression will spread and will not stop.Zelensky said.
“All of this is a testament to our commitment to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield and to doing so through this contact group.”, Austin noted before the meetings of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, made up of 50 countries allied to kyiv, began behind closed doors. EFE (I)
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