A Ukrainian soldier at a checkpoint in the village of Litin. File photoWASHINGTON, May 13U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed with his Ukrainian counterpart Alexei Reznikov the operational situation in eastern Ukraine and continued Western military assistance, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
" ;Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Ukrainian Secretary of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov to discuss the situation on the ground in eastern Ukraine and provide additional information on U.S. and international security assistance efforts,» the press release said.< /p>The conversation took place against the background of congressional consideration of an initiative to allocate additional military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the amount of $40 billion. The ministers also discussed preparations for the upcoming virtual meeting of countries supplying weapons to Ukrainian forces. The group's debut meeting last April at the American Ramstein Air Base in Germany brought together representatives of 40 countries. Russia