News Feed

US defense secretary: 'Russia's invasion offers preview of a possible world of tyranny and turmoil'

1 min read

Russia's invasion of Ukraine "offers a preview of a possible world of tyranny and turmoil that none of us want to live in," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Nov. 19 during a speech to a security forum in Canada.

Lloyd also said that "Putin's fellow autocrats are watching and they could well conclude that getting nuclear weapons would give them a hunting license of their own," leading to a "dangerous spiral of nuclear proliferation."

The secretary also said that NATO poses no threat to Russia and seeks no confrontation with the country, while reiterating that the U.S. is committed to defending its NATO allies.

"Make no mistake: We will not be dragged into Putin's war of choice, but we will stand by Ukraine as it fights to defend itself," he said. "We will defend every inch of NATO territory."

Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed
Video

At NATO's Aurora 2026 military exercises in Sweden, a group of Ukrainian drone pilots was tasked with playing the role of attackers. The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell spoke with drone pilots from Ukraine's 20th National Guard "Lubart" Brigade, part of the 1st Azov Corps, shortly after they returned from Sweden.

Show More