On October 21st, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine to show support. The visit comes just two weeks before the US presidential election, and the outcome of the election may bring uncertainty to Western support for Ukraine.
This marks Austin’s fourth visit to Kyiv as the US Secretary of Defense and potentially his last.
During the visit, discussions will focus on how the US can assist Kyiv in strengthening its defense as Russian forces make advances in eastern Ukraine.
However, it is not expected that new agreements will be reached during this visit on some key requests made by Ukrainian President Zelensky. These requests include formally inviting Ukraine to join NATO and lifting restrictions by Washington on using US-supplied weapons to target objectives beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Austin stated that the US will continue to provide support, even as the Biden administration nears its end.
“We will continue to support Ukraine in defending its sovereign territory. We have seen this conflict evolve over time. Each time it evolves, we are able to meet their needs in a timely manner to ensure their effectiveness on the battlefield,” he said.
US Republican presidential candidate Trump expressed less willingness to continue supporting Ukraine compared to Biden. This implies that Ukraine may lose its biggest military and financial supporter, the United States.
Austin sought to downplay these concerns, stating, “Over the past two and a half years, I have seen bipartisan support for Ukraine, and I fully expect we’ll continue to see bipartisan support from Congress.”
The retired four-star general has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters, leading an alliance of dozens of countries to provide weapons to Kyiv, aiding in dealing significant blows to the Russian military.
Hours before Austin’s arrival in Kyiv, Russia launched a new round of attacks on the Ukrainian capital, with consecutive nights of multiple drone strikes causing damage to residential buildings and at least one civilian wounded.
An anonymous US defense official recently stated that casualties in Ukraine due to Russia’s actions have reached 600,000, including military personnel, with September being the deadliest month.
However, Russian President Putin seems determined to deploy more troops in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.
In recent weeks, Russia has besieged towns in the Donetsk region, gradually forcing Ukrainian forces to retreat.
“This is a very difficult fight, progress is slow,” Austin said.
Experts believe Kyiv may need to start making tough decisions on how to utilize its strained combat forces, including whether to retain the territory in the Russian-occupied Kurzsk region seized during a summer offensive.
The surprise attack in Kurzsk took both Austin and the US government off guard. Kyiv aimed to retake the initiative from Russia and divert Moscow’s forces on the eastern front.
However, Putin remains focused on capturing the key city of Poltava in eastern Ukraine, a crucial logistical center.
Despite receiving billions of dollars in US military support, including F-16 fighter jets and Abram tanks, Ukraine still faces tough battles.
A senior US defense official stated that while the invasion has hit the Russian economy, leading to increased isolation diplomatically and weakened armed forces, Russia is “not ready to give up.”
Meanwhile, as conflicts in the Middle East attract international attention, Ukraine continues to strive to keep Western focus on Russia’s invasion.
Zelensky met with Austin at NATO headquarters in Brussels last Thursday, presenting his “Victory Plan.” Although he received commitments for continued support, key allies did not explicitly express support for his immediate call to invite Ukraine to join NATO.
When asked about the Victory Plan in Brussels, Austin remarked, “I will refrain from publicly evaluating his plan.”
The reaction from the West regarding Ukraine’s Victory Plan has been lukewarm. In a video address last Sunday, Zelensky stated that his plan has the support of France, Lithuania, Nordic countries, and “many other allies,” without specifying who these allies are.
Regarding US support, Zelensky mentioned receiving “very positive signals” from the US, though he didn’t explicitly state Washington’s support for the plan.
Analysts suggest that the US is unlikely to make a decision before the presidential election in two weeks.
(Translated and compiled from reports by Reuters and the Associated Press)