Austin visits Ukraine, but brings a message for the GOP

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv Monday in an unannounced visit for likely the last time as defense secretary, and delivered a speech that seemed tailored to answering criticisms by Republicans who are skeptical of more Ukraine aid.

Austin’s visit to Kyiv, which included the announcement of $400 million in new U.S. military aid, comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government is under enormous pressure from his country's continued loss of territory at the front and a lukewarm reception in Europe over his plan for victory.

In his speech, Austin framed the current battle as a fight between the West against Russia, North Korea and Iran, calling it “a hinge in history.” He also pointed out that Europe is sharing much of the load and specifically laid the groundwork to respond to Republican challenges to U.S. aid.

“You know, as a percentage of GDP, a dozen U.S. allies and partners now provide more security assistance to Ukraine than does the United States,” Austin noted, adding that the 50 member states that form the Ukraine Defense Contact Group have provided more than $51 billion in direct security assistance to Ukraine.

The U.S. on the other hand, had provided $58 billion, a number that frustrates fiscal hawks in Congress, and which has come under fire from Republican lawmakers and the Trump campaign as evidence that Europe isn’t doing enough to provide for its own security.

“For anyone who thinks that American leadership is expensive, well, consider the price of American retreat,” Austin said. “Not since World War II has America systematically rallied so many countries to provide such a range of industrial and military assistance for a partner in need.”

Those arguments haven’t found a friendly audience in the Trump campaign, with his vice presidential pick Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) questioning why Washington should fund Ukraine’s defense and calling for a peace deal in which Ukraine cedes some ground to Russia.

Those comments caused a huge uproar last month when Zelenskyy shot back that Vance is “too radical,” and “the idea that the world should end this war at Ukraine’s expense is unacceptable,” leading to some quick fence-mending between Kyiv and the Trump team.

Still, the roughly $5 billion left in the U.S. military aid account for Ukraine is quickly draining, and it is uncertain what a Harris or Trump White House, with a new Congress in session, will do about it next year.

On influential Trump surrogate, Rep. Mike Waltz , (R-Fla.), who is shortlisted as Trump’s defense secretary, said in a recent interview that it’s “completely unacceptable” that the U.S. and Europe have given roughly equal amounts of financial support to Ukraine.

“I think the burden sharing should actually be disproportionate on their side of the ledger, not the other way around, and until we force those tough conversations to happen … it's not acceptable in terms of collective security.”

The Ukrainians, meanwhile, have been looking for a signal from Washington that restrictions on using U.S.-made rockets deeper inside Russia might be lifted, but no such pivot came during Austin’s visit. The omission will leave Ukraine to continue fighting as it has been for months, happy for the new rounds of munitions and military equipment, but deeply frustrated over the lack of change in American policy.

In his speech before departing Kyiv, Austin doubled down on what the Biden administration has done for Ukraine, and spoke in broad terms about the West’s battle against an alliance of autocracies that are collaborating on challenging the democratic world order, calling out Russia, North Korea and Iran by name.

“We must continue to squarely face the specter of an aggressive Russia—backed by other autocrats from North Korea to Iran,” Austin said. “If Ukraine falls under [Vladimir] Putin’s boot, all of Europe will fall under Putin’s shadow.”

Iran and North Korea have joined the Russian side in the war in Ukraine, with Iran sending drones and missiles, and North Korea artillery shells and potentially thousands of troops. The South Korean government has reported on the movement of North Korean forces to bases in Russia, and videos have emerged online of those troops being outfitted in Russian uniforms.

The Pentagon and White House have both said they are looking into those reports, but have not confirmed them.