US defense chief urges nations to dig deep and give Ukraine more much-needed air defense systems
Lloyd Austin urged allied defense leaders Tuesday to «dig deep» and provide more air defense systems for Ukraine to help it block increasing barrages of Russian missiles, even as debate grows in Congress over aid to Kyiv.
But while the allies said they will discuss how they can best help Ukraine's counteroffensive in the coming winter months, they appeared no closer to commitments on the longer-range missiles that Kyiv's leaders insist they need as they struggle to retake land gained by Russia earlier in the conflict.
«Air defense is saving lives,» Austin said. «I urged allies and partners to dig deep and donate whatever air defense munitions they can as Ukraine heads into another winter of war.»
Speaking at the close of the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Austin said allies have done a «credible job» of getting some air defenses to the war, «but there's much more work to be done.
And that's the message that we conveyed to our colleagues earlier today. And I have every belief that they will go back and dig a bit deeper.»
He and Army Gen.
Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the key is to prepare Ukraine to continue to make progress over the coming winter months. The three priorities, Milley said, are air defense, artillery and mechanized armor that can move over frozen ground.
Austin said he challenged the ministers to look into their stockpiles of 155-millimeter ammunition, which Ukraine has been using at a rapid rate.
The group is made up of the defense and military leaders from more than 50 nations and is the main forum for raising contributions of weapons, other equipment and training for Kyiv's war effort.
