U.S. and Ukrainian defense ministers discuss military aid to Kiev

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin discussed military assistance to Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. This was reported by Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder on December 20.

"Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today spoke with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss the dynamics of combat operations and U.S. security assistance to Ukraine," - his words are quoted on the website of the agency.

It is noted that the ministers also discussed the planning of the next meeting of the contact group on Ukraine's defense in early 2025 and agreed to maintain constant contact.

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Earlier, on December 20, the Financial Times newspaper reported that US President-elect Donald Trump is going to continue arming Ukraine.

Before that, on December 13, it became known that the US plans to transfer more military aid to Ukraine before the end of the presidential term of the current head of state Joe Biden. According to the source, it is planned to deliver hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, thousands of missiles, hundreds of armored vehicles and other types of weapons to Ukraine until mid-January.

Western countries have stepped up military and financial support for Ukraine against the background of Russia's special operation to protect Donbas, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, after the situation in the region worsened due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.