U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, opening the 23rd meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, welcomed Argentina as a new member of the Ramstein format.

"I am pleased to welcome Argentina as a new member. Minister Petri, I am glad to have you with us," Austin announced.

The minister emphasized that Ukraine's partners around the world support it.

Austin separately thanked his Ukrainian colleague Rustem Umerov and other allies who arrived at the group meeting in Brussels.

We have a lot of work ahead, and, fortunately, support for Ukraine is growing and not weakening, he said.