Attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Brigadier General Patrick Ryder:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke today with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov to reaffirm the unwavering U.S. commitment to support Ukraine's ability to counter Russian aggression. He strongly condemned Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure and reiterated that the United States rejects the public and false allegations by Russia about Ukraine and any attempt to use them as a pretext for further Russian escalation of its unlawful and unjustified war against Ukraine.
The leaders pledged to remain in close contact.