Ukraine will find war solutions no matter who wins US election: Defense Secretary | World News

Trump, a Republican, has not said how he plans to do that. Analysts say it could include halting U.S. aid to Ukraine unless it agrees to a ceasefire on Russian terms, including handing over Ukrainian territory to Russia.

“We believe in U.S. leadership, and we believe America also wants strong partners and allies,” Umerov said in a remote address to an audience of government officials and others at the annual Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

“At this stage, we will focus on the battlefield,” Umerov said. “Regardless of the outcome of the US elections, we will find solutions.”

Umerov, like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Washington last week, did not comment on whether Ukraine would try to continue fighting or whether it would agree to a ceasefire that would give Russia territory if the United States were to withdraw its support.

While other members of the military alliance of European and North American countries are also helping Ukraine with weapons, money and other assistance, US support is the most valuable since Russia began its war in early 2022.

For now, Umerov insisted that Ukraine, which has expanded its mobilization efforts and will have to send more than the four million soldiers that Umerov said are currently registered, will continue to fight to recapture the territories already lost to the Russians.

“Our goal was to recapture the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, which the Russians captured at the beginning of their offensive,” he said.

The defense secretary also disagreed with President Joe Biden on one point, although not by name. While Biden is the most important supporter of Ukrainian defense, he is resisting growing pressure to roll back strict restrictions on Ukraine’s use of American weapons against military targets in Russia. Biden had suggested at the NATO summit that Ukraine could use the weapons against Moscow.

Umerov said Ukraine cannot stop Russian attacks on its cities and infrastructure unless it can also hit the air bases and other military sites in Russia from which the attacks are being launched.

“We want to say it loudly: We are focusing on military targets so that they cannot hit civilians in Ukraine,” he said.