Zelenskyy and Austin use their final meeting to press Trump to keep supporting Ukraine
Source: AP
By TARA COPP
Updated 12:27 AM CST, January 10, 2025
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin used their final meeting Thursday to press the incoming Trump administration not to give up on Kyivs fight, with Austin warning that to cease military support now will only invite more aggression, chaos and war.
Weve come such a long way that it would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now and not keep building on the defense coalitions weve created, Zelenskyy said. No matter whats going on in the world, everyone wants to feel sure that their country will not just be erased off the map.
President-elect Donald Trumps pronouncements about pushing for a quick end to the war, his kinship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and uncertainty over whether he will support further military aid to Ukraine have triggered concern among allies.
The Biden administration has worked to provide Ukraine with as much military support as it can, including approving a new $500 million package of weapons and relaxing restrictions on missile strikes into Russia, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-us-aid-weapons-trump-6f8eeb09dbc69d3ae2e097bb8eb10151