'Everyone believes Ukraine can win the war,' says US defence secretary at NATO-EU talks
The US defence secretary Lloyd Austin kicked off NATO-EU talks on Tuesday, saying that Ukraine can win against Russia in the two-month-long conflict.
"Your resistance has brought inspiration to the free world," Austin said, as representatives from more than 40 countries meet in Germany to discuss the Ukraine conflict for the first time.
"Ukraine clearly believes that it can win, and so does everyone here," he added, condemning Russia's invasion as "indefensible."
The US-hosted gathering at Germany’s Ramstein airbase is expected to focus on arming Kyiv, as Russia continues its onslaught in eastern Ukraine.
Mark Milley, chairman of the US Army's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters the goal of the talks was to synchronise and coordinate security assistance to Kyiv, including heavy weaponry, like howitzer artillery, alongside armed drones and ammunition, according to Reuters.
"The next several weeks will be very, very critical," he said. "They need continued support in order to be successful on the battlefield.
"That’s really the purpose of this conference.”
Earlier this morning, Ukrainian MP Lesia Vasylenko made it clear what she hoped the result of today's meeting between nations and defence chiefs would be.
"Weapon, weapons, weapons," she wrote on Twitter.
Speaking at Ramstein Air Base, Germany's defence minister announced it would deliver Guepard anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, amid mounting pressure from inside the government to provide Ukraine with more heavy weaponry.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that by supplying Kyiv with weapons NATO was "in essence" engaging in a proxy war with Russia, in an interview broadcast on state television.
He added that Western supplies of sophisticated weapons were
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