The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Lloyd Austin, assured Congress this Thursday that he believes that NATO will be dragged into the war if Russia wins the war in Ukraine.
Speaking at a Republican-led House Armed Services Committee hearing to discuss his recent absence while hospitalized for complications from prostate cancer surgery, Austin predicted that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not “stop” if Moscow wins.
“If you’re a Baltic state, you’re really worried about whether you’re going to be next or not,” he said. “They know Putin, they know what he’s capable of… And, frankly, if Ukraine falls, I really think NATO will get into a fight with Russia,” the Pentagon chief said.
During the hearing, Austin admitted there was a communication failure when he was hospitalized in January for cancer, but argued that Army command was not affected.
“I want to be very clear. There was never a lack of authority or command or control. At all times, either I or my undersecretary were in a position to exercise the functions of the position,” Austin claimed.
However, he admitted that during his stay at the Walter Reed military medical center, on the outskirts of Washington, there was “an interruption in notifications” since the rest of the authorities were not adequately informed of his location or the reason for his arrival. income.
He also accepted that he made a mistake by not having informed the president, Congress or the American people when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December.
Austin once again assumed “full responsibility” for what happened, explained that he personally apologized to Biden and detailed that he has ordered changes to protocols so that something like this “does not happen again.” “It was never my intention to hide my hospitalization from the White House or anyone,” he said.
Austin underwent a prostatectomy on December 22 to treat cancer and was subsequently discharged, but on the night of January 1 he returned to the medical center due to a urinary tract infection resulting from the operation and was admitted to the unit. intensive care.
His hospitalization generated enormous controversy since neither Austin nor his team informed Biden of what happened until January 4, three days after he was admitted, and the Pentagon did not issue a statement to the press until the next day, the 5th. from January.
Austin later apologized for what happened and, in an appearance on February 1, acknowledged that he had not handled the situation well, took responsibility and asked the Americans for “forgiveness.”
The Republican opposition, however, not satisfied with the explanations, denounced that during those days there was a power vacuum at the head of the Pentagon at a critical moment, when the war in Gaza threatens a regional escalation in the Middle East.
