Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov spoke with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, Kirby told reporters during a news briefing at the Pentagon.
The discussion was part of a “constant dialogue and conversation” between the two officials and focused in part on the weapons and other assistance being provided to Ukraine.
Additional details were not disclosed, but Reznikov wrote on Twitter earlier this week that Ukraine is seeking additional unmanned aircraft, air-defense systems, artillery, armored vehicles, combat aircraft and anti-ship missiles.
Some of the weapons expected in the next package are new to Ukrainian troops and would probably require training before they can be used in combat.
A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the Pentagon, told reporters Tuesday that the Biden administration is open to doing so if it fills specific needs for Ukraine.
The United States and its allies have been rushing arms to Ukraine for weeks, with the United States alone sending eight to 10 flights of military assistance into neighboring countries every day, the senior U.S. defense official said.
Those deliveries then are moved via ground convoy into Ukraine, which determines how and where the gear gets distributed.
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Ukrainian officials also have begun to meet with U.S. defense firms to see how else they might be able to improve their defenses.
In one recent example, the Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, met last week with representatives from General Atomics, the maker of Reaper and Predator drones, said C. Mark Brinkley, a company spokesman.
Brinkley said Tuesday the company is “currently exploring options” for supporting Ukraine, something that would require U.S. government approval.
“We have aircraft available now for immediate transfer,” Brinkley said. “With support from the U.S. government, those aircraft could be in the hands of Ukrainian military pilots in a matter of days.”
Such a transfer, Brinkley said, would expand Ukraine’s ability to conduct aerial surveillance of the battlefield and provide “highly lethal strike capabilities not afforded” by smaller unmanned aircraft.
Ukrainian pilots already familiar with drone operations would not be “starting from scratch” in learning how to fly them, he said.
In a statement, Markarova acknowledged Tuesday night that she met with General Atomics representatives.
“Together with our team, we discussed with General Atomics the prospects of increasing the capacity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the current situation in Ukraine,” she said.
Reply With QuoteOriginally Posted by Dejan
za razliku od Putina i ekipe koji su dobri i spašavaju svijet
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