WASHINGTON, April 5 – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Tuesday defended America’s response to the war in Ukraine during a heated argument with a Republican lawmaker who accused the Pentagon of overestimating Russia’s military capabilities.
“Did you notice that Russia didn’t overrun Ukraine because of what we did? And our allies did it? Have you ever thought about it?” Austin rhetorically asked Rep. Matt Gaetz during his testimony before the House Services Committee.
Austin and other US officials say US support for Ukraine’s forces, combined with Ukraine’s strong fighting spirit, has thwarted Russia’s plans for a quick victory in a campaign now in its sixth week.
General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin testify before a House Armed Services Committee hearing on “Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Proposals” at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., April 5, 2022 . REUTERS/Tom Brenner
General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the conflict in Ukraine could last for years.
“I think this is a very long-running conflict and I think it’s measured in years at least,” Milley told lawmakers during the same hearing.
He added that “NATO, the United States, Ukraine and all allies and partners that support Ukraine will be involved for quite a while.”
Separatists supported by Russia have been fighting in eastern Ukraine since 2014, a conflict that has claimed the lives of around 15,000 people.
Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Grant McCool