Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office, Ukraine’s future course is shrouded in uncertainty as it loses ground to Russia’s far larger military.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Jan. 9 at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to discuss U.S. support to Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announces $500 million in military aid for Ukraine

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Dozens of uniformed officials looked to the head table Thursday morning at the dimly lit officer’s club here. They were staring at Lloyd Austin, America’s secretary of defense, the man who brought them all together. But as the day began, the focus was less on Austin than what it means for him to depart.

The Biden administration is providing an additional $500 million package in weapons and equipment to Ukraine from its existing military stockpiles, looking to further reinforce Kyiv’s

Formed in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group has ballooned to 50-plus member nations and has overseen the transfer of $126 billion worth of weapons and equipment, making it one of the largest arms transfers in history.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the situation on the battlefield, Ukraine's defense needs for various types of drones, and strengthening air defense.

The U.S. is set to provide Ukraine an additional $500 million in weapons quickly pulled from its existing stockpiles as the Biden administration works to get Kyiv in a stronger negotiating position before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin used their final meeting on Thursday to press the incoming Trump administration to not give up on Kyiv’s fight, warning that to cease military support now “will only invite more aggression,

Russia has endured over 700,000 casualties since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022—more than in all of Moscow’s conflicts since World War II combined, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Jan.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have urged the incoming Trump administration to maintain military support for Ukraine. Austin warned that ceasing support could lead to more aggression and chaos.