According to the Moscow Times website reported on October 18, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin traveled to the Black Sea region on the 17th to consolidate the "ally" relationship with countries under Pressure from Russia.
Austin will visit Georgia, Romania and Ukraine, followed by a face-to-face summit of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Oct. 21-22.
All three countries are in NATO's orbit – Romania is a full member and Georgia and Ukraine are partners.
All three countries are on the edge of the Black Sea, a region where Russia has sought to expand its influence and prevent NATO expansion.
In June, Russian troops reportedly monitored and warned Dutch and British warships as they sailed off the coast of Crimea.
In Georgia, Austin will meet with prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and defense minister Juanshel Bulchuladze, primarily to maintain defense cooperation with Georgia as the U.S. Army's three-year training program expires this year.
Georgia hopes that Austin's visit will help advance its formal nato accession process.
"We hope that the focus of the meeting will be on further deepening our cooperation, regional security issues and the process of Georgia's accession to NATO," said Georgian Foreign Minister David Zarkaliani. ”
In Ukraine, Austin will hold talks with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Defense Minister Andri Taran, both of whom visited Washington in early September to push President Biden on the two countries' reasons for joining NATO.
In Romania, he will meet with President Klaus Johannis and Minister of Defence Nicolas Yonel Chuuk.
The United States hopes to expand its defense support for the three countries, but also notes some problems in the three countries. (Compilation/Lush)
Source: Reference News Network
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