Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Call With Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov

Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Rustem Umerov today to discuss battlefield dynamics and U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. Secretary Austin condemned Russia's recent barrage of missiles and Unmanned Aerial Systems targeting Ukraine's civilian infrastructure and its use of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile in Ukraine, which marks another escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine. Secretary Austin provided Minister Umerov with an update on the continued surge of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine to provide the capabilities it needs to defend against Russian aggression.

The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact.