Austin Says US Goal Regarding Taiwan, Ukraine 'To Lead With Diplomacy'

Faizan Hashmi Published December 07, 2021 | 08:55 PM

The United States' goal in the case of Taiwan and Ukraine is to lead with diplomacy and avoid conflict, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th December, 2021) The United States' goal in the case of Taiwan and Ukraine is to lead with diplomacy and avoid conflict, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday

"Our goal in both cases (Ukraine and Taiwan) is to lead with diplomacy and address these issues in a way that we don't get to conflict, and I think it's really important to remember that," Austin said at the Outlook 2022 Defense One Summit.

US President Joe Biden and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin are holding a virtual meeting on Tuesday in to discuss critical issues, including the buildup of forces near and in Ukraine.

Austin said that conveying "red lines" in situations such as the one involving Russia will only exacerbate the problem The United States needs to focus on finding ways to de-escalate and reduce tensions, he added.