In heated exchange, U.S. defense chief defends Ukraine response
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Protection Secretary Lloyd Austin defended America’s response to the conflict in Ukraine on Tuesday throughout a heated trade with a Republican lawmaker who accused the Pentagon of over-estimating Russia’s army functionality.
“Has it occurred to you that Russia has not overrun Ukraine due to what we have completed? And our allies have completed? Have you ever ever even thought of that?,” Austin requested rhetorically to Rep. Matt Gaetz throughout testimony to the Home Armed Companies Committee. Austin and different U.S. officers say U.S. assist to Ukrainian forces, together with Ukraine’s sturdy will to combat, has thwarted Russia’s plans for a swift victory in a marketing campaign now in its sixth week.
Normal Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Workers, stated that the battle in Ukraine might final for years.
“I do suppose it is a very protracted battle and I believe it’s not less than measured in years,” Milley advised lawmakers throughout the identical listening to.
He added that “NATO, america, Ukraine and all the allies and companions which might be supporting Ukraine are going to be concerned on this for fairly a while.”
Russian-backed separatists have already been combating in jap Ukraine since 2014, a battle which has killed about 15,000 individuals.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; modifying by Grant McCool)
