Ukraine's Future: A Defense Secretary's Visit Amid Election Uncertainty

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin dropped by Kyiv on Monday, right when the US presidential election is about to happen and Russia is making small but steady progress in Ukraine. Austin plans to chat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov about Ukraine's need for weapons and how the US can keep supporting their military. Austin wants to reflect on the past two and a half years of war and the US-Ukraine relationship. He'll look at how Ukraine has managed despite heavy Western sanctions on Russia, the billions of dollars in military gear the US has sent, and the multinational coalitions helping Ukraine fight back. Even though there were loud explosions in Kyiv early Monday, Austin thinks multinational coalitions are vital for his legacy, especially the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. He's proud of the 57 countries and the European Union that have rallied to support Ukraine.

But a potential Donald Trump win could change things. Trump hasn't said if he wants Ukraine to win, and he's called Zelensky a "salesman. " US officials hope bipartisan support for Ukraine stays in Congress, but that's not guaranteed. Far-right Republicans have already fought over more Ukraine aid. Ukraine's path to victory is unclear. Zelensky wants NATO membership now, but NATO won't accept Ukraine while it's at war. Russia still has the edge in troops and munitions, even though the war has cost them dearly. The US isn't letting Ukraine use long-range missiles to hit Russia yet. Austin thinks the US and allies will keep supporting Ukraine, no matter who's in power. He's confident that new military systems will help Ukraine soon.

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