US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin holds a briefing at the Pentagon. File photoWASHINGTON, May 12.Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said that, together with the US allies, they would provide Kyiv with everything necessary for «self-defense,» since, in his opinion, Russia's special operation in Ukraine had entered a «new, no less dangerous phase.» Earlier, the State Department said that Washington, considering the issue of providing Kyiv with an unprecedented $40 billion aid package, counts on a speedy resolution of the crisis around Ukraine. At the same time, Austin has previously stated that the United States requires Kyiv to control where the weapons transferred by the States go. «The Russian invasion has entered a new, no less dangerous phase. However, we will continue to work together and decisively to give Ukraine what it needs to self-defense now and in the future,” Austin said following a personal meeting with British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace in Washington. Austin's words were circulated by the press service of the Pentagon. The chief of the US defense department noted that relations with Great Britain are now «strong and even more viable» than before the start of the Russian special operation. «The US and UK stand firm in their solidarity with Ukraine's army and its people. The world admires their courage. And I'm proud to be working with you to help Ukraine defend its democracy,» Austin said.
The Pentagon demanded control of transferred weapons from KievThe head of the British Ministry of Defense thanked Austin for the efforts made by the US leadership to support NATO allies and praised the alliance itself, which, according to him, is «viable, strong and cohesive.» Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal «the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.» For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out «demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine», to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for «bloody crimes against civilians» in Donbass. organizations to launch a campaign to discredit the special military operation in Ukraine in Russian society.
