Time is not on Putin's side, support for Ukraine will hold fast - Lloyd Austin
Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense (Getty Images)
So in this war of aggression, nobody should assume that time is on the Kremlin's side. Support of the U.S. for the forces of freedom in Ukraine will hold fast, in any season or any storm, according to the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during the Ramstein meeting.
According to Austin, the anger of the Russian dictator should not be underestimated. The world must be prepared for the Kremlin to continue bombarding Ukraine with drones and missiles, deliberately targeting Ukrainian cities, including civilian and critical infrastructure.
As the Defense Minister pointed out, Putin hopes to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people and plunge them into bitter cold and darkness, but he will fail.
"Putin hoped to demoralize the Ukrainian people. Instead, he demoralized the Russian military. Putin hoped to isolate Ukraine. Instead, he isolated Russia. Putin hoped to fool the whole world. Instead, he couldn't even fool his own mercenaries. So in this war of aggression, nobody should assume that time is on the Kremlin's side," Austin added.
When Putin is resorting to seeking help from Iran and North Korea, Ukraine's allies remain united, as everyone understands that the dictator's war is a threat to European security and a clear challenge to NATO.
"Ukraine matters because Putin's war of choice is a vast and urgent threat to security in Europe. Ukraine matters because Russian aggression clearly challenges our NATO allies. Ukraine matters because Russian atrocities against civilians offend our shared values and threaten the rule of law. Ukraine matters because Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain are deliberately inflicting hunger and suffering on innocent people around the world. And Ukraine matters because if great powers can invade their peaceful and democratic neighbors with impunity, it will claw away the rules-based order that has made the world so much safer since the end of World War II. That is what has brought us together again. And as I have said before, I continue to firmly believe that "our support for the forces of freedom in Ukraine will hold fast, in any season or any storm," added the U.S. Defense Minister.
Ramstein-16
Today, on October 11, a Ramstein format meeting on Ukraine's defense will take place at NATO headquarters in Brussels. On the same day, a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council is expected.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Minister has confirmed the allocation of a new package of military assistance to Ukraine, totaling $200 million.
