The head of the Pentagon said that Ukraine faces a difficult, exhausting struggle – “there is no magic wand in such conflicts”

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin, who visited Ukraine, said at a press conference in Kyiv that Ukrainian troops face a “hard, grueling fight.”

“In such conflicts there is no magic wand” Austin said when asked whether the supply of F-16 fighter jets could dramatically change the situation on the battlefield.

“It all depends on the military capabilities provided and their integration, whether we are talking about the F-16, HIMARS or something else. It all depends on how you use these capabilities and synchronize them to achieve the desired effect on the battlefield,” he said.

At the same time, Austin again emphasized that the United States will continue to provide Ukraine with all possible assistance, and noted that the Ukrainian Armed Forces managed to inflict significant damage on Russian troops, from which they would not recover for a long time.

Lloyd Austin arrived in Kyiv on November 20 for an unannounced visit. The head of the Pentagon came to Ukraine against the backdrop of ongoing discussions in the US Congress about the annual budget, which includes assistance to Ukraine. So far, congressmen and senators have been able to adopt only a temporary budget that will allow government agencies to continue working, but it does not include funding for assistance to Ukraine.