US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that Ukrainian troops, with the support of weapons provided by the West, changed the dynamics of the war. He said this while opening the meeting in the Rammstein format on Wednesday in Brussels.

 "Putin is trying to mobilize more forces and claim that the sovereign territories of Ukraine belong to Russia. He is targeting civilian targets and infrastructure in Ukrainian cities. He is using irresponsible threats and rhetoric," Austin said.

 However, according to him, Ukrainian troops are demonstrating a change in the situation on the battlefield thanks to the weapons provided by their partners.

 "When we met in September, we all watched as Ukraine made extraordinary achievements on the battlefield. Despite Putin's new attacks, Ukrainian forces changed the dynamics of this war. They liberated hundreds of cities from Russian occupation and reclaimed thousands of square kilometers of their land. These victories belong to Ukrainian soldiers. However, the contact group's security assistance, training and support efforts have been vital. We have made tremendous progress working together, and as the war has changed, so has the contact group's mission," the Pentagon chief said.

 According to him, Russia's attacks only strengthen the allies' determination to help Ukraine.