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Austin hosts Ukraine's defense chief ahead of NATO summit

by VOA News

   U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to host talks Tuesday with
   Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in a session the Pentagon says
   will show U.S. support for Ukraine's security.

   The talks come a week before the United States hosts a NATO summit
   where military support for Ukraine to help it defend against a Russian
   invasion is set to top the agenda.

   "Secretary Austin and Minister Umerov will discuss the bilateral
   defense cooperation, regional security issues and ways to strengthen
   the defense partnership between the United States and Ukraine,"
   Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday.

   U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also is hosting talks Tuesday
   with Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr
   Zelenskyy.

   The United States has been by far the biggest supporter of Ukraine in
   the more than two years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

   U.S. military aid is again flowing to Ukrainian forces after stalling
   for several months amid political gridlock in the U.S. Congress.

   Zelenskyy said in a video address late Monday that he expects this
   month to "bring even more strength to Ukraine, particularly in
   protecting our sky and achieving real security for our country."

   "Long-range weapons, fighter jets for Ukraine--of sufficient quality
   and quantity, and more air defense systems--are crucial factors
   affecting the entire course of this war," Zelenskyy said.

   Russia's daily aerial attacks with missiles and drones against
   Ukrainian cities have pushed Zelenskyy to seek more missile defense
   systems and to try to speed the delivery of fighter jets for Ukrainian
   forces to use.

   Ukraine has also sought to bolster its domestic production of attack
   drones, and has been carrying out its own aerial attacks, especially
   targeting areas along the Ukraine-Russia border.

   Russia's defense ministry said Tuesday it shot down four Ukrainian
   aerial drones over the Bryansk region, four drones over the Belgorod
   region and three more drones over Russia-occupied Crimea.

   Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod, said the attacks injured
   two people and damaged a shopping center.

   A Russian official in Crimea reported damage to several houses and
   cars, but no injuries.

   Some information for this story was provided by Reuters.

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