Pentagon Chief Arrived in Kiev

U.S. Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, arrived in Kiev on Tuesday, October 19, U.S. Embassy in Ukraine reported. Following the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, the Pentagon chief will meet with President Zelensky. “I am here to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and to express our commitment to build Ukraine’s capacity to deter further Russian aggression,” Austin said. The head of the US Defense Department will pay his respects at the Memorial Hall and at the Memorial Bell of the Defenders of Ukraine, and will also meet with Defense Minister Andriy Taran. The U.S. Secretary of Defense will then meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss bilateral and regional security cooperation. As a reminder, before visiting Ukraine, the head of the Pentagon visited Georgia. As reported, Lloyd Austin is touring Europe. This week he is also expected to arrive in Romania. And he will conclude his trip in Brussels, where he will hold talks with allies and partners at a meeting of NATO defense ministers. Корреспондент