The US Department of Defense will expand military training for Ukrainian service members, including on certain weapons systems that are being provided to Ukraine as part of Western military assistance.
That’s according to a statement released by the Office of State Department spokesman Ned Price following the visit of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to Kyiv, Ukrinform reports.
“As part of our continuing assistance, Secretary Austin also informed the Government of Ukraine that the US Department of Defense will expand military training for Ukrainian service members in the region on certain weapons systems being provided. He highlighted U.S. efforts to accelerate the delivery of these weapons, which are now arriving within days of announcement,” Price said.
Austin also underscored that, along with its Allies and partners, the United States will continue to coordinate the shipment of additional heavy weaponry, ammunition and spare parts from other nations.
He also previewed for Ukrainian leaders the agenda for this week’s Defense Consultative Meeting in Germany.
According to the statement, during their meeting, Secretary Blinken shared that President Joe Biden will nominate Bridget Brink, currently the US Ambassador to Slovakia, to be the next US Ambassador to Ukraine. If confirmed, Ambassador Brink will lead the US diplomatic mission in Ukraine.
In addition, Blinken said that US diplomats will be returning to Ukraine this week. “The increased US presence demonstrates our support for Ukraine and is part of the US commitment to return our diplomats to our Embassy in Kyiv as soon as possible,” the statement added.
Secretary Blinken informed President Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States intends to obligate more than $713 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Ukraine and 15 other Allied and partner nations in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkan region. This includes $650 million in funding provided by the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022. More than $322 million in this obligation is for Ukraine.
