The United States and Ukraine's other partners are focused on the short-term protection needs of Ukrainians in Kharkiv and elsewhere, and "will continue to step up to meet Ukraine's most urgent needs," U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has said.

At a press conference following the 22nd meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format), Austin said the allies today spent a lot of time discussing "vital air defense systems which are helping Ukraine repel waves of Russian missiles, Iranian UAVs and North Korean ammunitions."

"And we will continue to push to ensure that Ukraine owns its skies and can defend its citizens and its civilian infrastructure far from the front lines. The United States and our allies and partners around the world remain focused on Ukraine's new-term requirements in Kharkiv and elsewhere. And we will continue pushing to find quick solutions to Ukraine's most pressing needs," the Pentagon chief said.

He also said Ukrainian forces skillfully use the opportunities provided by the members of this Contact Group.

"We have met today at a challenging moment for Ukraine. Putin's forces have opened another front to seize sovereign Ukrainian territory. And the Kremlin invaders are destroying Ukrainian villages, killing innocent civilians and bombarding civilian infrastructure, including dams and power plants. Ukraine's defenders are in a hard fight. But Russian troops are paying a high price for Putin's aggression," Austin said.

He said "Putin is betting that eventually Ukraine will fall and this Contact Group will crumble, but he is wrong."