Ramstein, Germany - Ukraine will receive another $675 million in military aid from the United States to help in its war against Russia, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Thursday at a US military base in Ramstein, Germany.

Austin had invited the members of the Ukraine Contact Group to a conference at the base.

In his opening speech, Austin repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine needed support for the "long haul," and that the country had a "tough road ahead."

"In our discussion today, we will also discuss the next steps in establishing an international training mission for the Ukrainian armed forces," Austin said.

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US President Joe Biden at the end of August announced an aid package for Ukraine amounting to almost $3 billion for advanced hardware, such as air defense systems and drones.

Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on February 24. In response, European countries as well as the US have imposed unprecedented sanctions against Moscow, and began supplying heavy arms to Kyiv.

The fighting is now concentrated in the east and south of the country.

Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the Ukrainian army's commander-in-chief, wrote an article published on Wednesday saying he did not expect the war to end this year.

Meanwhile, Kyiv reported some territorial gains in the south and in the Russian-occupied east, which has been the most contested part of the country.