US lauds Poland for ongoing military assistance to Ukraine

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin voiced appreciation Friday for Poland's ongoing military assistance to Ukraine as Kyiv's forces prepare for an expected counteroffensive to take back additional territory controlled by Russia.

During a bilateral meeting with Mariusz Błaszczak, Poland's defense minister, Austin "commended" Warsaw "for the support Poland continues to provide to Ukraine, including Poland's transfer of Leopard tanks and hundreds of other armored vehicles, and the training of thousands of Ukrainian military personnel over the past 15 months."

"The two leaders also coordinated on plans to further enhance Poland's military capabilities and reaffirmed the close U.S.-Poland defense relationship with the signing of a reciprocal defense procurement agreement renewal and the unveiling of an exhibit in the Pentagon dedicated to the history of U.S.-Polish defense cooperation," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

The leaders also discussed "ways to strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between the U.S. and Poland," Ryder said. Part of that effort is Friday's signing of the Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement, which aims to increase cooperation between the nations' defense industrial bases.