On 11 December, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his visit to the United States, met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman General Charles Brown at the National Defense University.
“I began my visit by meeting with Defense Secretary Austin and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Brown to discuss global security challenges, developments on the frontline, and further Ukraine-US defense cooperation,” Zelenskyy said in a Telegram post.
Zelenskyy thanked the US “for fulfilling our agreements, especially regarding strengthening our air defense,” and praised Austin and Brown’s “personal leadership.”
Zelenskyy is also set to meet with members of Congress during his trip on December 11-12.
On 6 December, the US Senate faced a setback in initiating discussions on President Joe Biden’s national security package, with Republicans opposing the bill and demanding immigration limits as a condition for their support, resulting in a close 49-51 vote.
On the same day, the Biden administration announced $175 million in new security assistance for Ukraine, using already approved funds. This aid includes ammunition, missiles, artillery shells, and equipment to protect critical infrastructure, per the US Department of Defense.
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