(Adds comments of top U.S. general at hearing)
WASHINGTON, April 5 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd
Austin defended America's response to the war in Ukraine on
Tuesday during a heated exchange with a Republican lawmaker who
accused the Pentagon of over-estimating Russia's military
capability.
"Has it occurred to you that Russia has not overrun Ukraine
because of what we've done? And our allies have done? Have you
ever even thought about that?," Austin asked rhetorically to
Rep. Matt Gaetz during testimony to the House Armed Services
Committee.
Austin and other U.S. officials say U.S. support to
Ukrainian forces, along with Ukraine's strong will to fight, has
thwarted Russia's plans for a swift victory in a campaign now in
its sixth week.
General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, said that the conflict in Ukraine could last for years.
"I do think this is a very protracted conflict and I think
it is at least measured in years," Milley told lawmakers during
the same hearing.
He added that "NATO, the United States, Ukraine and all of
the allies and partners that are supporting Ukraine are going to
be involved in this for quite some time."
Russian-backed separatists have already been fighting in
eastern Ukraine since 2014, a conflict which has killed about
15,000 people.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; editing by Grant
McCool)
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