The US Secretary of Defense criticized the Russian leader in his statement from the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Speaking after a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine, Lloyd Austin said that Vladimir Putin made “a number of serious miscalculations when he invaded Ukraine more than a year ago,” according to Sky News.
“He thought that Ukraine would not fight back, but Ukraine is strong with the help of its partners. Putin thought that our unity would collapse, but the brutal war chosen by Russia only brought us closer,” he said.
Lloyd also talked about Finland joining NATO, adding that he hopes Sweden will also join the military group quickly:
“I note that Finland, which has been involved in this contact group for a long time, is here today as a new NATO ally – I suspect that Sweden will soon follow.”
He added: “This makes one thing abundantly clear: Putin’s war is not the result of NATO expansion, but the cause of NATO expansion.”
“Leaks will not divide us”
Lloyd Austin also spoke about the leak of classified information in the US regarding the conflict in Ukraine and said he was overwhelmed by the support he received from allies.
“I take these issues very seriously. We will continue to work closely with our allies and partners in a spirit of continued respect and friendship,” he said.
“When we discussed this issue with our allies and partners, I was impressed by their solidarity and commitment. Nothing will break our unity and nothing will divide us,” said the American official.
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Source: Hot News
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