WASHINGTON, November 20. /TASS/. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has arrived in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev to meet with the country’s leadership, as he himself wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"I just arrived in Kiev to meet with Ukrainian leaders," Austin said, adding that he was in Ukraine "to deliver an important message - the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine <...> both now and into the future."

The Pentagon chief also posted a photo of himself with US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink at a Kiev railway station.

Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick Ryder announced earlier that a Western group coordinating weapons supplies to Ukraine would hold a video conference meeting this week.

Earlier, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that the US administration had spent 96% of the funds allocated for Ukraine. Kirby stressed that the lack of major aid from the US would have a negative impact on Ukraine’s defense capability.