Deputy Secretary of Defense Spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson provided the following:
Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work met with Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Pavlo Klimkin at the Pentagon today.
The two leaders discussed the recent escalation of violence by combined Russian-separatist forces in eastern Ukraine, as well as U.S. security assistance efforts to improve Ukraine's internal defense capabilities and the professionalization of the armed forces.
Work emphasized that the U.S. remains strongly supportive of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to building the capacity of Ukraine's forces. Additionally, he encouraged Ukraine to remain committed to the implementation of reforms, which will make their defense enterprise more effective and efficient.
Klimkin underscored the importance of U.S. support for Ukraine's right to decide its own foreign policy course and reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements.