The United States Secretary of Defense made an unannounced visit to Kyiv to reassure Ukraine that Washington will continue supporting its fight against invading Russian forces. “[Austin] will also underscore the continued US commitment to providing Ukraine with the security assistance it needs to defend itself from Russian aggression,” the Pentagon statement said. The US has provided tens of billions of dollars in security aid for Ukraine and repeatedly pledged to back Kyiv for as long as it takes. However, opposition from hardline Republican lawmakers has raised doubts about the future of US assistance.
In addition to domestic US political opposition to continued aid, the conflict between Israel and Hamas has drawn international attention away from Ukraine. The US government insists that it can provide aid for both countries despite the Republican resistance.
