“Nations of goodwill have seen through Russia's sham attempt to annex Ukrainian lands. Countries around the globe have rejected Putin's grim vision of a world where big powers can trample borders by force. And proud people in Europe and far beyond have stood up for the rules-based international order that keeps us all secure.”

American retired army general and defense official

Lloyd James Austin III is a retired United States Army general and American defense official. He served as the 28th United States secretary of defense from 2021 to 2025 in the Biden administration. Austin spent much of his career in the U.S. Army before taking on one of the country’s highest civilian defense posts. He is known for leading the Pentagon during a period of major national security challenges and for public remarks shaped by military service, defense policy, and the responsibilities of command.