In his fourth and likely final visit to Ukraine before the U.S. election next month, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin praised Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russian President Vladimir Putin’s prolonged assault but cautioned that there is “no silver bullet” to end the war.
“There is no silver bullet. No single capability will turn the tide. No one system will end Putin’s assault,” Austin said, speaking from Ukraine’s Diplomatic Academy in Kyiv.
“What matters is the way that Ukraine fights back,” he added. “What matters is the combined effects of your military capabilities, and what matters is the way that our international community stands by you.”
Austin applauded the collaborative efforts between the U.S. and its international partners to assist Ukraine in its struggle against the Kremlin and warned that Ukraine’s security is not only a matter of European security, but also of the U.S.’s.
International concerns have escalated in recent months as the U.S. prepares for a presidential election in just over two weeks, and questions remain over whether a second Donald Trump White House would continue supporting Ukraine should he win.
In a continued demonstration of solidarity, Austin announced another $400 million arms package for Ukraine and argued that the cost of aiding Kyiv is less expensive than abandoning it to Putin.
“Consider the price of American retreat. In the face of aggression, the price of principle is always dwarfed by the cost of capitulation,” Austin said. “We face a hinge in history.
“We can continue to insist that cross-border invasion is the cardinal sin of world politics, and we can continue to stand firm against Putin’s aggression. Or we can let Putin have his way, and we can condemn our children and grandchildren to live in a far bloodier and more dangerous world,” he continued.
“If Ukraine falls under Putin’s boot, all of Europe will fall under Putin’s shadow.”
Austin contended that Putin has yet to achieve a single objective of his “special military operation” when he invaded Ukraine nearly a thousand days ago, including his inability to capture Kyiv or force Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to step aside.
The secretary pointed to the more than 600,000 casualties Russia has suffered since February 2022, and the 11,000 Ukrainian civilians, including 600 children, that have been killed, according to figures by the United Nations.
Zelenskyy in a joint press conference, thanked Austin for his visit and the defense package, and said the pair discussed not only defense priorities and winterizing against potential attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but also “the expansion of long-range weapon use against Russian military targets.”
The Ukrainian president has long urged the U.S. to allow it to use long-range weapons to strike military sites deeper in Russia in an effort to halt its deadly aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The U.S. has remained largely opposed to this tactic, and Austin did not mention any long-range strike capabilities during his address Monday.
Austin vowed to continue providing Ukraine with the military aid it needs to battle Russian troops on its eastern front.
“When a dictator puts his imperial fantasies ahead of the rights of a free people, the whole international system feels the outrage,” he said. “And so that’s why nations of goodwill from every corner of the planet have risen to Ukraine’s defense.
“And that’s why the United States and our allies and partners have proudly become the arsenal of Ukrainian democracy,” Austin added.