Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, speaking via video, told defense ministers gathered in Brussels on Wednesday that the United States would maintain its support for Ukraine, but made no mention of a multibillion-dollar aid package it has not received yet congressional approval.
Mr Austin delivered his comments in a five-minute speech via video link to a meeting of about 50 countries from the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which directs military aid to the country.
“We will continue to dig deep to provide Ukraine with both short-term and long-term support,” said Mr. Austin, who canceled his trip to Brussels because of health problems. Sitting behind a desk with the flags of the United States and Ukraine behind him, he added: “The countries of this coalition, including the United States, support Ukraine because it is the right thing to do and because it is in our core national security interests.”
Mr. Austin issued a statement at the end of the meeting, which contained no specific commitments on new military aid to Ukraine, either from the United States or other members of the Defense Contact Group.
Nearly two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ukraine faces a difficult year, military analysts say, with Moscow attempting battlefield advances and without an immediate infusion of aid from Washington, its biggest donor.
A $95 billion emergency aid package has been blocked in Congress since its introduction in October. On Tuesday, the Senate approved the package, which included aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with bipartisan support, but the measure faces significant pushback from House Republicans.
The legislation would allocate $60.1 billion for the Kiev government and bring the total U.S. investment in the war effort to more than $170 billion. It will also provide money for Israel and Taiwan, as well as humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones.
Mr Austin had announced on Monday that he was canceling a trip to Brussels, where he had been scheduled to meet privately with his NATO and European counterparts.
Mr. Austin, 70, was admitted to a hospital on Sunday, where he was treated for discomfort and restlessness from a bladder problem related to prostate cancer surgery in December, according to the Defense Department. He said he returned to the hospital for non-surgical procedures, the third such visit in two months. “I’m in good shape and my prognosis for cancer remains excellent,” he said. He was released on Tuesday.
On December 22, Mr. Austin underwent what is known as a prostatectomy, the removal of all or part of the prostate gland. He was criticized at the time for not immediately disclosing his illness and absence from the White House, a breach of protocol that baffled officials across the administration, including the Pentagon. He was hospitalized for two weeks in January and returned to the Pentagon on January 29.
