President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue.
The Head of State emphasized the unwavering strong defense and political support of Ukraine by the United States.
“We are very grateful to President Joseph Biden and his administration for their continued assistance in the fight for our freedom and independence,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
He also emphasized the critical importance of the military aid package passed by Congress.
The two sides discussed Ukraine's defense needs, which are being addressed by U.S. assistance, including training and equipping new brigades.
The President thanked the U.S. Secretary of Defense for his active work to bolster Ukraine's air defense system. “This is the most important track now to protect the lives of Ukrainians, our cities, communities and civilian infrastructure. It is crucial,” he said.
The interlocutors also focused on the F-16 coalition, in particular the joint efforts needed to speed up the delivery of the fighter jets.
The Head of State expressed gratitude for the adoption of an important decision by the U.S. Presidential Administration to allow limited strikes with American weapons on the territory of Russia to effectively counter Russia's attempts to expand the combat zone.
The President of Ukraine and the U.S. Secretary of Defense noted the progress in the preparation of a bilateral security agreement.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy also told Lloyd Austin about the efforts made by Russia to disrupt the first Global Peace Summit. The Head of State emphasized that the participation of all key partners of Ukraine would make such attempts by Russia pointless.
