The US Department of Defense said in a statement on Tuesday that Lloyd was departing on an overseas trip to meet with senior military and government leaders in Belgium, Poland and Lithuania.
In Belgium, Austin "will meet with Allied defense ministers and NATO leadership to discuss Russia’s military buildup in and around Ukraine, reiterate the US commitment to Article 5, and continue the Alliance’s progress on deterrence and defense while ensuring the Alliance is prepared to face tomorrow’s challenges," the statement said.
In Poland, he will meet with President Andrzej Duda and Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak "to enhance bilateral cooperation in security and deepen the Polish-American partnership, which is vital to addressing today's current threats and challenges," according to the statement.
Austin will also meet with US and Polish troops at Powidz Air Base "to tour the facilities and observe the culture and conditions of America's rotational presence there," the statement added.
Austin is also scheduled to travel to Lithuania to meet with that country's top officials and "reaffirm that the United States stands with Lithuania, working together to strengthen the Lithuania armed forces and continuing to stand shoulder to shoulder against threats and adversaries to advance shared interests and values."
Washington last week said it would send 3,000 more troops to Poland to reinforce NATO's eastern flank amid heightened concerns over a possible new Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and then fomented a separatist conflict in that country's eastern Donbas region, leading to a wave of EU and US sanctions against Moscow and Russian officials.
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Source: PAP, defense.gov