U.S. defense secretary arrives in Ukraine

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrived on a working visit to Ukraine on Tuesday, according to the Twitter account of the Pentagon chief.

"Wheels down in Kyiv. I'm here to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations — and to express our commitment to build Ukraine's capacity to deter further Russian aggression," the tweet reads.

Austin is expected to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky and Minister of Defense Andrii Taran to discuss Ukraine's progress with the implementation of defense and defense industry reforms needed to advance its Euro-Atlantic aspirations as well as regional cooperation among Black Sea allies and partners.

Distinguished U.S. guests will also take part in a ceremony to honor the defenders of Ukraine who died for the freedom, independence and territorial integrity of their homeland and during international operations on maintaining peace and security.

op