Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv early Monday morning, as the future of US aid to Ukraine hangs in the balance of the imminent US presidential election and as Russia continues to make small but steady gains on the battlefield.

The United States “will get Ukraine what it needs” to fight its war with Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday, but he gave no hint that Washington might endorse key planks of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's so-called “victory plan.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in the city of Kyiv on an unannounced visit on Monday, 21 October. Source: Austin on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink met Austin in Kyiv.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Ukraine on Monday, in a show of U.S. support for Kyiv just two weeks ahead of a U.S. presidential election that is casting uncertainty over the future of Western support.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv early Monday with the state of U.S.-Ukrainian relations on the verge of change with the presidential election next month and Russia making new gains.

Ukraine is having difficulty holding back a ferocious Russian campaign along the eastern front that is gradually compelling Kyiv's forces to give up a series of towns, villages and hamlets.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv early Monday morning, as the future of US aid to Ukraine hangs in the balance of the imminent US presidential election and as Russia continues to make small but steady gains on the battlefield.

In his speech, Austin framed the current battle as a fight between the West against Russia, North Korea and Iran, calling it “a hinge in history.” He also pointed out that Europe is sharing much of the load and specifically laid the groundwork to respond to Republican challenges to U.

The United States “will get Ukraine what it needs” to fight its war with Russia, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on an unannounced visit to Kyiv on Monday.