Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has vowed that the United States will not let Ukraine fail, even as the provision of additional aid is delayed in Congress and Kiev forces face ammunition shortages.
The Republican-led House of Representatives has blocked $60 billion in aid to Ukraine, and the United States has warned that a recent $300 million package would only last a few weeks.
"The United States will not allow Ukraine to fail," Austin said at the opening of a meeting in Germany of international supporters of Ukraine, AFP reported.
"We remain committed to providing Ukraine with the resources it needs to resist Kremlin aggression," he added.
Last week, Washington announced $300 million in aid to Ukraine, but Austin said it was only possible because of savings from recent Pentagon purchases.
"We were only able to support this much-needed package because we identified some unforeseen savings on contracts," Austin said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the previous day, "It is extremely important for us that Congress soon complete all the necessary procedures and make a final decision" on aid to Kiev.
The top U.S. military general, Charles "CQ" Brown, explained to reporters en route to the Ukraine meeting that Kiev troops "need to pay attention to their pace of supply and how they execute."
There is "gradual back and forth between Ukraine and Russia," with "incremental gains on both sides," he said. / BGNES
