Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper met with Ukrainian Minister of Defense Andriy Zagorodnyuk today at the NATO Defense Ministerial in Brussels, Belgium, to strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine.
Secretary Esper reiterated that the United States remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. He reaffirmed U.S. commitment to security assistance efforts to build the capacity of Ukraine's forces to more effectively defend itself against Russian aggression, and highlighted the need for European allies to contribute more to the Ukraine security assistance mission.
Secretary Esper also praised Minister Zagorodnyuk for his leadership in transforming Ukraine’s defense sector, noting the considerable progress in areas such as procurement, command and control, and human resources management, and encouraged continued progress with reform in support of a more secure and democratic Ukraine.