Contribution of Ukraine Defense Contact Group members stands at over $80B - U.S. DefSec

Since April 2022, the countries that are part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have allocated more than $80 billion to Ukraine in the form of security assistance.

That’s according to U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who spoke at the opening of the Group’s 17th meeting in the video conference format, Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.

"I'm proud that this history making contact group has committed more than $80 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, since the Kremlin launched its indefensible invasion and I'm proud of your steadfast commitment," Austin emphasized during his opening remarks.

He emphasized that such unity "sends a clear message to Putin that he cannot outlast us or prevail in a contest of wills."

The Pentagon chief noted bravery of Ukrainians who are fighting off Russian aggression. Since February 2022, Ukraine has regained 50% of the territory initially captured by Russian forces at the outset of the invasion.

"Ukraine's fight for freedom matters to us all," the U.S. defense chief emphasized. He also noted that the members of the Contact Group also share the vision of a world that is “free, open, prosperous, and secure”.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the 17th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is being on Wednesday in a video conference format with the participation of about 50 countries.