By Diyar Guldogan
WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Argentine counterpart Luis Petri on Monday expressed support for Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia.
In a phone call, Austin thanked Petri for Argentina's joining of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in a statement.
Austin and Petri "reaffirmed both countries' commitment to supporting a democratic, independent, and sovereign Ukraine that can defend itself and deter Russian aggression," Ryder added.
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group is a coalition of about 50 nations that meets regularly to discuss Ukraine's security needs since the war with Russia began in April 2022.
This June, Argentina became a new member of the contact group in support of Kyiv.