US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has assured the Ukrainian president of Washington’s continued support in the face of Russian aggression, during a visit to Kyiv aimed at reassurance on the matter. Washington is a key supplier of military aid to Kiev, and any cuts in support that some Republican-elected officials have desperately sought would deal a severe blow to Ukrainian efforts to liberate the occupied territories in the south and east of the country.

“Mr. President, the message I bring to you today is that America is with you and will be with you for a long time,” Lloyd Austin said during a meeting with the Ukrainian head of state.

Volodymyr Zelensky called the Pentagon chief’s visit a “very important signal.” “We count on your support,” he said. After nearly two years of war, Ukraine is seeking to guarantee the continuation of European and American aid, even as voices are raised in Europe and the United States to cut this support. Additionally, as the international community focuses on the war between Israel and Hamas, kyiv wants to prevent the decline in support it has received so far.