Attributed to Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke by phone with Ukrainian Minister of Defence Oleksii Reznikov regarding priorities for next week’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels, including air defense and artillery.

Secretary Austin and Minister Reznikov also discussed the importance of delivering the capabilities pledged at last month’s UDCG being delivered to the battlefield as quickly as possible. Minister Reznikov provided an update of dynamics on the ground in Ukraine.

The two leaders pledged to remain in close contact.