US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has arrived in Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian leaders and reiterate Washington’s support for Ukraine.
The US Defense Department announced his arrival on Monday. He is expected to have talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and defense minister Rustem Umerov.
The department said the secretary will deliver a speech at the conclusion of his visit, which will highlight why Ukraine’s fight against Russia matters for US security.
Austin mentioned his visit to Ukraine, which comes with about two weeks to go before the US presidential election, on social media.
He said it is his fourth visit to Ukraine as Secretary of Defense, “demonstrating that the United Sates, alongside the international community, continues to stand by Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military said on Monday that Russian forces had conducted attacks on Ukraine with 116 drones and three missiles.
Local authorities said the air defense alert lasted more than five hours in the capital Kyiv. They said falling debris of an intercepted drone damaged buildings and a man was injured.
Zelenskyy said in his speech on Sunday that Russia has used more than 6,000 drones in its attacks on Ukraine since the beginning of the year and he stressed the need to destroy Russia’s weapons production capabilities.
Observers say he apparently wanted to reiterate his demand that Ukraine be allowed to use longer-range weapons to strike targets in Russia.