He said this at the 20th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein, Germany, Ukrinform reports.
According to Austin, at least 315,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Putin's all-out invasion in February 2022.
"Russia has paid a staggering cost for Putin's imperial dreams. […] Russia has squandered up to $211 billion to equip, deploy, maintain, and sustain its imperial aggression against Ukraine. Putin's war of choice will cost Russia $1.3 trillion in previously anticipated economic growth through 2026. And Ukraine's defenders continue to degrade the Kremlin's capabilities," he added.
He noted that Ukraine had already sunk, destroyed, or damaged some 20 medium-to-large Russian Navy vessels and continues to down Russian warplanes.
"So our message today is clear. The United States will not let Ukraine fail. This coalition will not let Ukraine fail. And the free world will not let Ukraine fail," Austin said.
He recalled that just last week, the United States announced additional security assistance for Ukraine, valued at $300 million. He also named other countries that announced their assistance to Ukraine. In particular, the Czech Republic recently procured 800,000 urgently needed artillery shells. Germany, France, Denmark, and Sweden have each recently announced important new military aid packages, Austin said.
"These are investments in Ukraine's just battle against Russian aggression. But these are also investments in our shared security, in European security, and in global security. We will all be less secure if Putin gets his way. And we will all be less secure in a lawless, violent world where dictators can redraw borders by force, wipe countries off the map, and rebuild their old empires," Austin said.
Photo: AA
