Washington DC [US], August 30 : US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III praised Poland for its leadership in supporting Ukraine's defence. He emphasised that America, Poland, and their allies stand united in their support for a sovereign and free Ukraine.
The remarks by Austin came as he met with Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz at the Pentagon on Thursday.
Austin noted Poland's continued contribution to the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group as the lead nation overseeing the armour and manoeuvre capability coalition aimed at supporting Ukraine's short- and long-term security requirements, a press release by the US Department of Defense said.
"Poland has always understood that Putin's war of choice in Ukraine threatens our shared security," Austin said. "The United States and Poland, along with our allies and partners, stand together for a free and sovereign Ukraine."
He added that Poland's contribution of vital logistics support and security assistance has been key to Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia's ongoing assault, the release said.
Meanwhile, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz shared pictures of his meeting with Austin on his X handle and said, "Today at the Pentagon, I spoke with Lloyd Austin about the strategic partnership that connects Poland and the US."
He further said, "This is extremely important at a time when, in the process of modernization, the Polish Army is equipped with the most modern equipment manufactured in the US, including F-35 aircraft, ABRAMS tanks and Apache helicopters."
Poland's Defence Minister further asserted that the two leaders engaged in discussions on NATO's eastern flank and Ukraine.
"Among the topics we discussed with Sec Def (Austin) were also matters related to the current situation on NATO's eastern flank and support for Ukraine. I thanked Secretary Austin for the continued presence of US troops in Poland, who, shoulder to shoulder with our soldiers, protect security in the region," the post said.
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