The United States and other countries of the contact group to support Ukraine have pledged to provide military assistance totaling $65 billion, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday.

“In total, the Contact Group has committed nearly $65 billion in security assistance,” Austin said at a meeting of the Contact Group.

He also expressed hope that the training of Ukrainian pilots to navigate F-16 fighter jets will begin "in the coming weeks."

Austin held a meeting of the members of the contact group online.