U.S. dismisses Russian claims it is withdrawing from Ukraine border

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin dismissed, for a second straight day, Russian assertions of a withdrawal from areas around Ukraine and said during a trip to Warsaw that the United States was committed to the defense of NATO allies.

"What Mr. Putin did not want was a stronger NATO on his flank, and that's exactly what he has today," Austin told a press conference after announcing the planned sale of Abrams battle tanks to NATO member Poland.