UPDATE - Biden, Zelenskyy discuss support for Ukraine

ADDS STATEMENT FROM PENTAGON

ISTANBUL (AA) – US President Joe Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call on Sunday in which they discussed “support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression,” said the White House.

In the call, the two leaders “discussed Ukraine’s ongoing counter-offensive” and Biden “reaffirmed unwavering US support, including through continued security, economic and humanitarian aid,” it said in a statement.

They also discussed recent events in Russia, it said, referring to the Wagner paramilitary group's recent armed rebellion against Moscow.
Zelenskyy said on Twitter that his conversation with Biden was “positive and inspiring.”

“We discussed the course of hostilities and the processes taking place in Russia. The world must put pressure on Russia until international order is restored,” he said.

“I thanked the @POTUS for the unflagging support of (Ukraine), especially for Patriots,” he said, referring to the American Patriot missile defense system.

“It is important to further increase (Ukraine’s defense) capabilities to protect our skies. In this context, I also thanked him for the support of the fighter jet coalition. We discussed further expansion of defense cooperation, with an emphasis on long-range weapons,” he added.

The two leaders also spoke about the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania on July 11-12. They also “discussed further work on the implementation of the (Ukraine) Peace Formula and preparations for the Global Peace Summit,” he added.

Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov on “regional security developments and dynamics on the ground in Ukraine,” said Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder in a statement.

“Secretary Austin reiterated unwavering U.S. support for Ukraine and discussed security assistance priorities to meet Ukraine's needs on the battlefield,” the statement added.

Austin and Reznikov “pledged to remain in close contact,” it said.