In case of escalation of Russian aggression, the U.S. “will not leave Ukraine alone in the event of an escalation of Russian aggression".
An akin statement was made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Defense Minister Andrei Taran, the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence reported.
On Thursday, April 1, on the initiative of the American side, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Andrii Taran held a telephone conversation with the United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. For the second time in the last month and a half, the ministers discussed the ways to strengthen cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the field of security and defense.
The ministers discussed the systemic escalation of the security situation on the line of demarcation with the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in the Crimea and around the state border of Ukraine.
“Lloyd Austin expressed concern over the recent actions of the Russian Federation and assured the Minister of Defense of Ukraine of readiness to support Ukraine in the context of Russia’s ongoing aggression in Donbas and Crimea. The US Secretary of Defense stressed that in the event of an escalation of Russian aggression, the United States will not leave Ukraine alone and will not allow the realization of aggressive aspirations of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine," the statement reads.
According to Ukrainian Defence minister Andrii Taran, “Strategic dialogue at the level of defense heads of Ukraine and the United States does not simply continue, it is developing dynamically. American partners actively initiate contacts, expressing sincere concern about Russia’s attempts to aggravate the situation around Ukraine. Today’s phone call from the American counterpart is a clear demonstration of the proactive position of the United States in support of sovereignty and steps to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
In addition, Lloyd and Taran discussed specific areas of strengthening cooperation in the field of security and defense.