Ukraine's President Zelenskyy meets US Defence Secretary on sidelines of Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore
Jun 02, 2024
Singapore, June 2 : As Asia's premier security summit continues to witness the presence of leaders from across the world, the latest to join the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore was Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who met US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Sunday there.
"I met with US @SecDef Lloyd Austin on the margins of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue," Zelenskyy wrote on X, as he posted the pictures of the meeting with Austin.
"We discussed the key issues: the defence needs of our country, bolstering Ukraine's air defence system, the F-16 coalition, and drafting of a bilateral security agreement," he said in the post.
https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1797136325818134605
Zelenskyy also thanked US President Joe Biden for vital defence and political support during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
"I am grateful to @POTUS for making an important decision regarding defensive strikes with American weapons on the enemy territory to effectively counter Russian attempts to expand the combat zone," Zelenskyy said.
"We appreciate the vital defence and political support for Ukraine from the United States," he added.
The Shangri La Dialogue is taking place in Singapore from May 31-June 2.
It is a "Track One" inter-governmental security conference held annually in Singapore by an independent think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
In a significant shift from longstanding policy, President Joe Biden recently authorised Ukraine to conduct targeted strikes within Russian territory using American munitions, according to CNN.
This decision came amidst escalating tensions as Russian forces made significant advances near Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine close to the Russian border.
Under the new directive, Ukraine is permitted to retaliate against Russian forces or targets located near Kharkiv using weaponry supplied by the United States.
The Biden administration has notably maintained its stance against allowing Ukraine to utilize its most formidable munitions, including the long-range ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 200 miles (300 kilometres), as reported by CNN.
