US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, in his introductory speech to the legislators of the US House of Representatives, once again reiterated Washington’s position that the US will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
He also recalled that the US National Defense Strategy defines Russia under the leadership of Vladimir Putin as an “acute threat.”
Under the leadership of Joe Biden, the US has rallied the world to help Ukraine fight an unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion. Our allies and partners have stepped up to provide critical security, coordinated by the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, which I chair. We will support the defense of Ukraine for as long as it takes,” Austin said.
The head of the Pentagon called the US defense budget for next year a strategic estimate, “which is driven by the severity of our strategic competition with the People’s Republic of China.” The Pentagon leadership believes that the US military must be prepared for a possible confrontation with China and are calling on Congress to approve an $842 billion defense budget that provides for the modernization of forces in Asia and other regions.
Lloyd Austin also commented on the strengthening of NATO against the backdrop of the Russian threat.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we have further strengthened NATO’s defense and deterrence on the eastern flank. And Congressional leadership in the European Deterrence Initiative – and our investments since 2014 – helped us respond quickly and boldly to the brutal war that Russia has chosen, and made our deterrence even stronger, – said the head of the Pentagon.
The priorities of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin called the defense of the nation, caring for people and successful teamwork.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.