US defense secretary underlines support for Ukraine
By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has underlined Washington’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during a visit to the country. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the U.S. as the country’s “chief partner in security and defense” during a meeting with Austin. Austin emphasized that the U.S. and its allies remain committed to supporting Ukraine’s right to decide its own future foreign policy. Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 following the ouster of the country’s Moscow-leaning president in a move that wasn’t recognized by most of the world. Moscow also has thrown its weight behind a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine that erupted weeks after the annexation of Crimea and has killed more than 14,000.