USA vs Russia...Because Ukraine can't defend itself.

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Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the 15th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered)​

Good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining us for the 15th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. And it’s great to see both new and familiar faces here today. And I want to start with a word of thanks to Oleksii Reznikov for his hard work and dedication—and for everything that he did for a free Ukraine in a secure world. I’d like to welcome Ukraine’s new Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov. And Rustem, it’s great to have you here. I thoroughly enjoyed our call a couple of days ago, and certainly enjoyed the meeting we just concluded. I look forward to working with you and your team closely. And I know that everyone else here does as well. Now, even as we’re meeting here, Ukrainian troops are in a hard fight to reclaim their sovereign territory from dug-in Russian invaders. Ukraine’s counteroffensive continues to make steady forward progress. And brave Ukrainian troops are breaking through the heavily fortified lines of Russia’s army of aggression. Ukraine’s progress is a testament to the fighting spirit of its people. But Ukraine’s recent gains also hinge on the crucial capabilities provided by the members of this Contact Group. And our shared commitment will be vital during the current battles—and for the long road ahead.

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Russia's war in Ukraine​

• Traffic on Kerch bridge linking Crimea with Russia has been suspended, according to local authorities, as a smokescreen — used for disrupting drone attacks — appeared on the occupied peninsula.
• A cargo ship in the Black Sea hit a sea mine, according to Romanian authorities. At least 12 crew members were taken to a port near the Ukrainian border following an explosion about 25 miles offshore, Romania's sea rescue agency said.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky urged a global front against Russian aggression in a dramatic speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Moscow's aim was "to turn our lands, our people, our resources into a weapon against you, against the international rules-based order," he said.
• Ukraine’s special services were "likely" behind strikes on Wagner-backed forces in Sudan, a Ukrainian military source told CNN.

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Zelenskyy delivers upbeat message to US lawmakers on war progress as some Republican support softens​

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a whirlwind return visit to Washington on Thursday to shore up U.S. support for Ukraine, delivering an upbeat message on the war’s progress while facing new question about the flow of American dollars that for 19 months has helped keep his troops in the fight against Russian forces. The Ukrainian leader received a far quieter reception than the hero’s welcome he got last year, but also won generally favorable comments on the aid he says he needs to stave off defeat. Zelenskyy, in long-sleeve olive drab, came to the Capitol with a firm message in private talks with Republican and Democratic leaders. The Ukrainians have a solid war plan, and “they are winning,” lawmakers quoted him as assuring them, at a time that the world is watching Western support for Kyiv. Zelenskyy also spoke with military leaders at the Pentagon and was meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin greeted Zelenskyy at the Pentagon without the usual ceremonial band or fanfare that is typical of a high-level visit.

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Russia-Ukraine war: Russian lines breached, says Ukraine; Zelenskiy to meet Brazil’s president – as it happened​

It's 11pm in Kyiv. Here's where things stand:

• Ukraine said it has filed lawsuit at the World Trade Organization against its three EU neighbours – Poland, Slovakia and Hungary – over their bans on Ukrainian grain imports.
• A top Ukrainian general hailed the recent recapture of two eastern villages, Andriivka and Klishchiivka, as an important breakthrough on Monday, saying it had enabled Kyiv's troops to breach Russian lines near the shattered city of Bakhmut.
• The Russian foreign ministry said it summoned French ambassador Pierre Levy to protest over what it called the “discriminatory and openly Russophobic” actions of French authorities against Russian journalists at the recent G20 summit in New Delhi.

 

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"Elon is saying he did not turn off access to Starlink. He only refused the government's request to extend Starlink's service area into Crimea. That seems to make a huge difference. If the US government wants GPS and Internet services in a place Starlink does not offer services than they can allow them access to the US government owned sat network.
They don't seem to want to do that though."

Elon is lying through his teeth. He should be brought to the Hague for war crimes.

 

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How Norway outstrips US on Ukraine spending​

The United States has poured more than a hundred billion dollars into Ukraine's effort to repel Russia's invasion, spending far more than any other nation. But as President Volodymyr Zelensky comes to Washington to ask for more, there is growing Republican scepticism about funding the war effort.


In his Tuesday speech to the UN, Joe Biden made a passionate plea for the global community to not turn its back on Ukraine.
"Russia believes that the world will grow weary and allow it to brutalise Ukraine without consequence," he said. "But I ask you this: If we abandon the core principles of the United States to appease an aggressor, can any member state in this body feel confident that they're protected?"
For more than a year and a half, the US president has followed up that tough talk with American dollars. The US Congress has now authorised more than $110bn (£89bn) in aid to Ukraine. That includes:

• $49.6bn in military assistance
• $28.5bn in economic support
• $13.2bn in humanitarian aid
• $18.4bn to boost US defence industry capacity

As of 9 August, the White House said it had spent 91% of the allocated funds. The administration is currently asking Congress for an additional $24bn in aid, including $14bn in military support.
However, polls suggest support among Americans for further spending has declined, especially among conservatives.

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