Lloyd Austin warns against isolationism and insists Ukraine absolutely can win war against Russia

EXCLUSIVE: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended U.S. restrictions connected long-range missiles successful Ukraine and insisted the war-ravaged federation "absolutely" tin decision Russia adjacent without specified capabilities successful an interrogation with Fox News. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the U.S. earlier this period to contiguous his "victory plan" – a cardinal proviso of which was lifting restrictions connected ATACMS and different U.S.-provided long-range missiles to onslaught subject targets wrong Russia. 

Ukraine claimed the long-range missiles could thwart Russia’s deadly glide bombs – and galore U.S. lawmakers turned up the unit connected President Joe Biden to unleash the long-range rocket capability. 

"Isn't this conscionable extending the warfare by not giving them those permissions?" Fox News’ Jennifer Griffin asked Austin. 

Austin said that Russia had already moved the craft it uses for glide bombs retired of ATACM scope – 300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. 

"I deliberation they person the quality to proceed to behaviour agelong scope strikes, and they will," Austin reasoned, "Ukraine has a batch of capableness that we provided successful presumption of drones."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin defended U.S. restrictions connected long-range missiles successful Ukraine and insisted the war-ravaged federation "absolutely" tin decision Russia adjacent without specified capabilities successful an interrogation with Fox News. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

"They besides person the quality to nutrient their ain drones close now. They're highly effective. As a substance of fact, we've seen them behaviour attacks oregon operations that are immoderate 400 kilometers beyond, beyond the borderline and adjacent further."

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Austin insisted helium and his subject counterparts are moving to make a program of enactment to instrumentality Zelenskyy’s "victory plan." 

"You know, we've said each on that Ukraine volition beryllium a portion of NATO astatine immoderate constituent successful the aboriginal … We're truly processing an enactment program … to enactment President Zelenskyy's strategical plan." 

In the wide-ranging interview, Austin admitted that helium is "of course" acrophobic astir the increasing inclination of isolationism successful the U.S. 

"We are a planetary power. We person interests each astir the globe, and we're going to request to proceed to bash what's indispensable to support those interests," said Austin. 

"There's nary question successful my caput that if Putin is successful, helium volition proceed to bash what he's done. And, of course, each of the Baltic states are precise acrophobic about, astir that they rightfully consciousness that they would beryllium adjacent connected the menu."

And arsenic the struggle barrels toward the three-year people successful February, Austin said helium believes Ukraine tin triumph – and offered his explanation of victory. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the U.S. earlier this period to contiguous his ‘victory plan’ - a cardinal proviso of which was lifting restrictions connected ATACMS and different U.S.-provided long-range missiles to onslaught subject targets wrong Russia. (REUTERS/Alex Babenko)

"Ukraine perfectly tin win," said Austin.  "And we specify winning arsenic Ukraine being a sovereign authorities that tin support its territory and deter aggression successful the future." (REUTERS/Yevhen Titov)

"Ukraine perfectly tin win," said Austin.  "And we specify winning arsenic Ukraine being a sovereign authorities that tin support its territory and deter aggression successful the future."

The defence caput did not specify whether that meant Ukrainian territory should beryllium defined by its pre-2022 borders, whether it should see the Crimea portion Russia annexed successful 2014 oregon whether Ukraine would springiness up territory Russia has captured successful speech for peace. 

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As immoderate Republicans grumble astir the $100 cardinal worthy of resources the U.S. has offered Ukraine, Austin insisted assistance to Ukraine has not affected U.S. readiness – and provides jobs successful the U.S. 

"Every grenade that we instrumentality retired of our inventory, that's got to beryllium replaced by thing else. Either that benignant of munition oregon thing better. Now, each clip that we gully capableness of our inventory and we regenerate it with something, and those munitions, those weapons are made successful the United States of America. And that means bully jobs for people, successful a fig of states successful this country. And I deliberation this is an concern that we really payment from.

"We bash not nonstop currency implicit to Ukraine. We gully down equipment, whether it beryllium vehicles oregon weapons oregon munitions, and regenerate those weapons oregon munitions with thing that's astir apt a small spot much modern and much effective."

Austin's comments travel arsenic Ukraine's defence main Kyrylo Budanov announced that immoderate 11,000 North Korean troops are successful Russia and volition beryllium acceptable to combat Ukraine by November 1. 

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"Our quality analysts are truly looking hard astatine this," said Austin. "If this is true, this is precise concerning, and if it is true, it speaks to the constituent that Putin indispensable beryllium weakened to a greater grade than astir radical think."

South Korea’s spy bureau said past week it had confirmed that North Korea sent 1,500 peculiar cognition forces to Russia this month. Both North Korea and Russia person denied the movements. 

Austin besides responded to concerns that European NATO members are not paying their just stock of assistance to Ukraine. 

"They're contributing a batch … I convene a radical each month. It consists of 50 countries from astir the satellite … And that radical has unneurotic contributed immoderate $51 cardinal of nonstop information assistance to Ukraine. Germany has committed $31 cardinal worthy of information assistance. And I deliberation that's remarkable. And determination are immoderate smaller countries arsenic a percent of GDP that person contributed much than the United States."