US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin Talks to Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov Amid Ukraine War
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had a phone call with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov to keep communication open during the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh shared this information during a briefing.
NATO Summit and Support for Ukraine
The conversation followed a NATO summit in Washington DC from July 9-11, marking NATO’s 75th anniversary. Member states committed to continued support for Ukraine, including launching NATO’s security assistance and training for Ukraine from a command base in Germany. They also agreed on a minimum baseline funding of just over $43 billion within the next year.
US Military Aid Package
The US Defence Department announced a new military aid package worth $225 million for Ukraine. This package includes one Patriot battery, munitions for rocket systems, and artillery and antitank weapons. President Joe Biden announced this aid during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Limits on Weapon Use
President Biden has imposed limits on how Ukraine can use American-provided weapons to strike inside Russia. While Ukraine can strike beyond the Russian border near Kharkiv, Biden has resisted demands to target areas 300 miles across the border. Biden emphasized the importance of using the weaponry wisely and following military advice.
Reactions from Russia
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed concerns about NATO-provided missiles being used for strikes on Russia and warned that deploying longer-range fires could escalate the situation further.
