Pentagon chief and General Milley praise Ukrainian counteroffensive – Ambassador Markarova

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, have expressed their high regard for how Ukraine is conducting its counteroffensive, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, said in an interview with RFE/RL on July 25.

During the interview, Markarova emphasized that the U.S. government is well aware of how challenging it is for Kyiv to conduct the operation.

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"I’m pleased to say that our partners, from (U.S.) President (Joe) Biden to (his) administration, to Defense Secretary Austin and General Milley, have a clear understanding that our counteroffensive, our reclaiming of territories, and our defense of our homes and citizens, is not a spectacle but rather a challenging, monumental task undertaken by our courageous defenders," said the ambassador.

Markarova noted that the United States consistently supports Ukraine on this issue.

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"Secretary Austin and General Milley hold the activity of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in high esteem; as a result, we receive genuine words of encouragement from them and engage in active discussions on how we can achieve greater success," she added.

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On July 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian counteroffensive has been progressing slower than expected because the operation began later than initially planned.

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