Austin warns of ‘pivotal moment’ in Ukraine war, urges allies to help

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday said Kyiv faces “a pivotal moment” in its fight with Russia, highlighting recent military aid sent to Ukraine by Western allies while pressing countries to send even more.

Ukraine is currently struggling to keep Russia from laying claim on its easternmost region and industrial heartland, known as the Donbas, and has ramped up its pleas for more Western help with heavy weapons. 

“Everyone here is acutely aware of the dangers that Ukraine faces as Russia renews its reckless assault on the Donbas,” Austin said at a news conference in Brussels, after meeting with officials from nearly 50 countries that gathered for the third meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. 

“When you’re in a fight you can never get enough. You always want more, you always believe that you need more and I have been there. So I certainly understand where the Ukrainians are coming from and we’re gonna fight hard to give them everything they need.” 

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced a new $1 billion security assistance package to Ukraine that will include artillery, coastal defense weapons and ammunition to bolster its military in its nearly four-month war with the Kremlin. 

At the news conference, Austin said that the package would include guided High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HMARS) munitions, 18 more howitzers, tactical vehicles and 36,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition.   

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who spoke with Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier on Wednesday, thanked Washington for the lethal aid but stressed that Ukrainian forces “urgently need more heavy weapons delivered more regularly.” 

Austin said other countries have also pledged to send more heavy weapons, including Germany, which is sending three multiple-launch rockets systems; Slovakia, which is giving Kyiv helicopters and rocket ammunition; and Canada, Poland and the Netherlands, all of which are sending more artillery. 

While speaking to Western officials earlier, Austin urged nations to not lose steam in supporting Ukraine as it is facing “a pivotal moment on the battlefield.” 

Russia has changed tactics and is increasingly using long-range fire to try to overwhelm Ukrainian positions, Austin explained. “So, we must intensify our shared commitment to Ukraine’s self-defense. And we must push ourselves even harder to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself, its citizens and its territory.” 

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, who spoke alongside Austin, defended the number and type of weapons the U.S. has already sent to Ukraine, arguing that “no singular weapons system ever, quote unquote, turns the balance.” 

Milley explained that a combination of effective fighting tactics and more precise artillery such as the HMARS will help turn the tide. 

“They ought to be able to take out a significant amount of targets and that will make a difference,” Milley said, adding that in the last 48 hours the U.S. military ran an exercise to teach the first platoon of Ukrainian soldiers on how to use the system. 

Washington has so far given Ukraine 108 howitzers and four HMARS, which can fire missiles to hit targets up to 40 miles away. Ukrainian officials, however, have said more is needed.