Milley holds first meeting with Ukrainian military chief near Polish border

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley met on Tuesday with Ukrainian Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the nation's top military official, for the first time since the onset of the Russian invasion.

The pair met within the borders of Poland at an undisclosed location, according to The Hill. A spokesperson for Milley said the pair "discussed the unprovoked and ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and exchanged perspectives and assessments" and noted that "[t]he Chairman reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Zaluzhnyi, meanwhile, indicated that the pair discussed the needs of Ukraine's military to carry on the fight.

The two commanders' first face-to-face meeting comes amid a major shakeup in the Russian military leadership. Russian President Vladimir Putin last week reassigned his senior commander, Sergey Surovikin, in favor of Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Moreover, it comes as the U.S. ramps up its delivery of military aid to Kyiv.

The situation in Ukraine's east has deteriorated somewhat, with Russian forces claiming control of the Donetsk city of Soledar, potentially threatening the Ukrainian position in Bakhmut where intense fighting has been ongoing for months.

While Ukraine has thus far staved off further Russian encroachment, the Kremlin appears prepared to wage a long war, announcing plans on Tuesday to expand the military to 1.5 million troops, per the outlet.