1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:11,796 because we didn't have to . 3 00:00:46,540 --> 00:00:48,540 Good afternoon everybody , I'm john 4 00:00:48,540 --> 00:00:50,651 Kirby pentagon Press Secretary , I'll 5 00:00:50,651 --> 00:00:52,651 be moderating today and we'll start 6 00:00:52,651 --> 00:00:54,707 with the Secretary's opening remarks 7 00:00:54,707 --> 00:00:54,390 and we'll go to some questions , Get 8 00:00:54,390 --> 00:00:56,446 time for four and I'll be calling on 9 00:00:56,446 --> 00:00:58,557 the on the questioners at that time . 10 00:00:58,557 --> 00:01:00,779 We ask you to keep your follow ups to a 11 00:01:00,779 --> 00:01:02,834 minimum if you could . And with that 12 00:01:02,834 --> 00:01:05,400 stricter . Well , thanks john and good 13 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:09,040 afternoon everyone , I'd like to 14 00:01:09,050 --> 00:01:12,660 thank Secretary General Stoltenberg for 15 00:01:13,540 --> 00:01:16,060 hosting this NATO defense ministerial . 16 00:01:17,340 --> 00:01:19,970 It certainly comes at an important time 17 00:01:19,970 --> 00:01:23,130 for the alliance as Russia continues 18 00:01:23,130 --> 00:01:25,130 building up their military presence 19 00:01:25,940 --> 00:01:29,250 along Ukraine's borders , including in 20 00:01:29,250 --> 00:01:33,160 Crimea in Belarus and in the Black Sea . 21 00:01:34,740 --> 00:01:38,550 In many ways this brings Russian troops 22 00:01:39,540 --> 00:01:41,207 right up to NATO's doorstep . 23 00:01:43,340 --> 00:01:45,520 So let me begin today by making clear 24 00:01:45,520 --> 00:01:49,320 that America's commitment to NATO 25 00:01:49,330 --> 00:01:53,050 into Article five remains ironclad 26 00:01:54,740 --> 00:01:56,740 as President Biden said a couple of 27 00:01:56,740 --> 00:02:00,250 days ago , we will if we must 28 00:02:01,130 --> 00:02:04,560 defend every inch of NATO territory , 29 00:02:07,740 --> 00:02:09,740 there's no reason of course that it 30 00:02:09,740 --> 00:02:11,796 should come . It should ever come to 31 00:02:11,796 --> 00:02:14,580 this just like there's no reason for 32 00:02:14,580 --> 00:02:17,160 Russia to again invade Ukraine . 33 00:02:19,540 --> 00:02:22,790 Ukraine does not threaten anyone , let 34 00:02:22,790 --> 00:02:26,080 alone its Russian neighbors . And yet 35 00:02:26,090 --> 00:02:28,420 that is what Moscow would have us 36 00:02:28,420 --> 00:02:32,330 believe and that is how Mr 37 00:02:32,330 --> 00:02:35,680 Putin continues to justify his 38 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:38,650 assembly of significant combat power . 39 00:02:41,330 --> 00:02:43,274 Now the Russians say that they are 40 00:02:43,274 --> 00:02:45,330 withdrawing some of those forces now 41 00:02:45,330 --> 00:02:48,960 that exercises are complete . But we 42 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,620 don't see that quite the contrary . We 43 00:02:52,620 --> 00:02:56,240 see them add to the more than 150,000 44 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,880 troops that they already have arrayed 45 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,530 along that border . Even in the last 46 00:03:01,530 --> 00:03:05,170 couple of days , we see some of those 47 00:03:05,170 --> 00:03:08,790 troops inch closer to that border , we 48 00:03:08,790 --> 00:03:11,260 see them fly in more combat and support 49 00:03:11,260 --> 00:03:14,780 aircraft . We see them sharpen their 50 00:03:14,780 --> 00:03:17,440 readiness in the Black Sea . We even 51 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,300 see them stocking up their blood supply 52 00:03:20,310 --> 00:03:24,140 supplies . You know , I was a 53 00:03:24,140 --> 00:03:26,560 soldier myself not that long ago 54 00:03:27,940 --> 00:03:30,107 and I know firsthand that you don't do 55 00:03:30,107 --> 00:03:32,560 these sort of things for no reason 56 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,184 and you certainly don't do them if 57 00:03:36,184 --> 00:03:38,351 you're getting ready to pack up and go 58 00:03:38,351 --> 00:03:41,540 home . So we and our allies will stay 59 00:03:41,550 --> 00:03:44,800 vigilant . We will watch for the so 60 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:48,180 called false flag operations where 61 00:03:48,180 --> 00:03:50,950 Russia manufacturers a dramatic event 62 00:03:50,950 --> 00:03:54,170 to justify an attack , a play that 63 00:03:54,170 --> 00:03:57,630 we've seen them run in the past and we 64 00:03:57,630 --> 00:03:59,463 will continue to explore ways to 65 00:03:59,463 --> 00:04:02,220 enhance our readiness as the United 66 00:04:02,220 --> 00:04:04,053 States and others have done with 67 00:04:04,053 --> 00:04:07,000 additional troop deployments to NATO's 68 00:04:07,010 --> 00:04:10,910 eastern flank . And we will we 69 00:04:10,910 --> 00:04:14,440 will closely match Russian words to 70 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:17,850 Russian deeds , what they say 71 00:04:18,610 --> 00:04:22,340 to what they actually do . Of 72 00:04:22,340 --> 00:04:24,451 course , one thing that Mr Putin says 73 00:04:24,451 --> 00:04:26,560 he wants to do is to engage in more 74 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,860 dialogue and as we have said all along , 75 00:04:29,870 --> 00:04:33,500 we would welcome that we believe there 76 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:35,640 is still time and space for diplomacy 77 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,770 to work and we are in lockstep with our 78 00:04:38,770 --> 00:04:40,950 allies and partners towards that end , 79 00:04:42,840 --> 00:04:45,580 a peaceful outcome that respects 80 00:04:45,590 --> 00:04:47,840 Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial 81 00:04:47,840 --> 00:04:51,650 integrity represents the best outcome 82 00:04:53,020 --> 00:04:55,430 for Ukraine to be sure . But also for 83 00:04:55,430 --> 00:04:58,840 Russia and the Russian people . If Mr 84 00:04:58,850 --> 00:05:00,930 Mr Putin is serious about achieving 85 00:05:00,930 --> 00:05:03,940 that sort of outcome . He will find in 86 00:05:03,940 --> 00:05:06,140 the United States and in this alliance 87 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:10,250 no better or more serious interlocutor 88 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:16,330 and if he's not as his deeds thus far 89 00:05:16,330 --> 00:05:19,780 tend to indicate it will be clear to 90 00:05:19,780 --> 00:05:22,760 the entire world that he started a war 91 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:25,640 with diplomatic options left on the 92 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:29,150 table . It will be Mr 93 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:31,710 Putin who will bear the responsibility 94 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:34,429 for the suffering and the immense 95 00:05:34,429 --> 00:05:36,600 sacrifice that ensues . 96 00:05:39,740 --> 00:05:41,740 You know I've been doing this for a 97 00:05:41,740 --> 00:05:43,860 long time this business of national 98 00:05:43,860 --> 00:05:47,320 security . I joined the United States 99 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,490 Army in the middle of the Cold War and 100 00:05:50,490 --> 00:05:52,760 I have served and fought alongside NATO 101 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,070 allies for the better part of my adult 102 00:05:55,070 --> 00:05:58,760 life . But I can honestly say that 103 00:06:00,340 --> 00:06:03,510 I have never seen the alliance more 104 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,900 relevant and more united and more 105 00:06:06,900 --> 00:06:09,160 resolute . Then I see it today . 106 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,096 Mr Putin says that he doesn't want a 107 00:06:13,096 --> 00:06:15,096 strong NATO on his western flight . 108 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,230 He's getting exactly that . I'll soon 109 00:06:20,230 --> 00:06:22,520 depart for Poland and then to Lithuania 110 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:25,170 to spend some time with these strong 111 00:06:25,170 --> 00:06:27,870 allies who likewise take these 112 00:06:27,870 --> 00:06:31,500 obligations seriously . I'll visit with 113 00:06:31,500 --> 00:06:35,350 their troops and mine see their leaders 114 00:06:36,940 --> 00:06:39,170 talk with mine and talk about how 115 00:06:39,180 --> 00:06:42,860 together we can bolster the defense of 116 00:06:42,860 --> 00:06:46,810 the alliance . I'd also like 117 00:06:46,810 --> 00:06:50,480 to add my appreciation to Bulgaria who 118 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:53,440 just today agreed to host a US army 119 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,270 striker company for joint training 120 00:06:56,270 --> 00:06:59,400 opportunities . These troops will be 121 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,456 departing Germany in the coming days 122 00:07:01,456 --> 00:07:03,900 and they will help ensure our readiness 123 00:07:03,910 --> 00:07:06,160 and our interoperability with Bulgaria 124 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:10,730 as our NATO ally . All that 125 00:07:10,730 --> 00:07:13,350 is to say that I leave here incredibly 126 00:07:13,350 --> 00:07:17,300 proud of the alliance and satisfied 127 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,860 in the knowledge that we will be sure 128 00:07:19,860 --> 00:07:22,460 footed in the face of aggression 129 00:07:23,940 --> 00:07:27,760 but dedicated as always to the prospect 130 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:28,450 of peace . 131 00:07:32,340 --> 00:07:34,870 Harry Truman , the american president . 132 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,460 When NATO was found , I found it 133 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,760 put it best when he noted that though , 134 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:46,440 peace was difficult , war was not 135 00:07:46,450 --> 00:07:50,280 inevitable and 136 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:53,460 so it is today , 137 00:07:55,220 --> 00:07:58,540 there is nothing inevitable about this 138 00:07:58,540 --> 00:08:02,300 looming conflict . It can still be 139 00:08:02,310 --> 00:08:05,540 averted . The path of 140 00:08:05,540 --> 00:08:09,020 diplomacy may be difficult , but it is 141 00:08:09,020 --> 00:08:12,770 still worth the trek . And 142 00:08:12,770 --> 00:08:16,740 NATO as I said , remains sure 143 00:08:16,740 --> 00:08:20,400 footed . Thank you . And I'll stop 144 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,270 there and and be happy to take a couple 145 00:08:23,270 --> 00:08:25,480 of questions . Okay , our first 146 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,591 question will go to Phil Stewart from 147 00:08:27,591 --> 00:08:29,970 Reuters , mm hmm . 148 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,820 Mr Secretary who is responsible for the 149 00:08:34,820 --> 00:08:36,764 shelling today in Ukraine's Donbas 150 00:08:36,764 --> 00:08:39,450 region And how concerning is it ? And 151 00:08:39,450 --> 00:08:41,750 what are you doing to lower the risk of 152 00:08:41,750 --> 00:08:44,390 dangerous and potentially explosive US 153 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,790 Russia interactions like the close call 154 00:08:46,790 --> 00:08:48,660 between aircraft this weekend . 155 00:08:51,140 --> 00:08:53,196 Well , we've seen the reports of the 156 00:08:53,196 --> 00:08:55,418 shelling and Phil and they're certainly 157 00:08:55,418 --> 00:08:58,140 troubling . We're still gathering the 158 00:08:58,140 --> 00:09:02,070 details . But you know , we've 159 00:09:02,070 --> 00:09:04,126 said for some time that the Russians 160 00:09:04,126 --> 00:09:06,820 might do something like this in order 161 00:09:06,820 --> 00:09:10,600 to justify a military 162 00:09:10,740 --> 00:09:12,800 conflict . So we'll be watching this 163 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,950 very closely and in terms of 164 00:09:16,620 --> 00:09:19,960 any potential potential 165 00:09:21,070 --> 00:09:24,440 interaction with our aircraft and and 166 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:26,551 someone else's aircraft . Of course , 167 00:09:26,551 --> 00:09:28,551 we'll follow our our own procedures 168 00:09:28,551 --> 00:09:30,773 very closely , which I think are airmen 169 00:09:30,773 --> 00:09:33,350 are very well rehearsed on , and we'll 170 00:09:33,350 --> 00:09:35,461 make sure that we're doing everything 171 00:09:35,461 --> 00:09:37,739 that we can to remain safe in the year . 172 00:09:37,739 --> 00:09:39,461 And if we see unsafe acts will 173 00:09:39,461 --> 00:09:41,900 certainly de marche , the people that 174 00:09:41,900 --> 00:09:44,900 are responsible for that . Next 175 00:09:44,900 --> 00:09:47,770 question goes to Patina Klein from 176 00:09:47,780 --> 00:09:51,550 German radio . Thanks mr Secretary . Um , 177 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:53,782 I understand you have the evidence that 178 00:09:53,782 --> 00:09:56,600 there's more true building rather than 179 00:09:56,610 --> 00:09:59,130 troop withdrawal in Russia . At the 180 00:09:59,130 --> 00:10:01,870 same time , I hear some skepticism , 181 00:10:01,870 --> 00:10:04,092 certainly in the german public debate , 182 00:10:04,092 --> 00:10:06,037 how can we trust this ? How can we 183 00:10:06,037 --> 00:10:08,810 trust american intelligence ? What do 184 00:10:08,810 --> 00:10:11,910 you suggest to build more public trust ? 185 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:14,880 And would you consider , at 1.2 , make 186 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:17,410 more evidence you have publicly 187 00:10:17,410 --> 00:10:21,400 available ? Thank you . Well , 188 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,370 you know , I I don't see this 189 00:10:25,370 --> 00:10:27,314 as a competition of narratives . I 190 00:10:27,314 --> 00:10:29,430 think , you know , we've been very 191 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:33,360 transparent about about everything that 192 00:10:33,370 --> 00:10:37,220 we've seen thus far , and we shared 193 00:10:37,230 --> 00:10:39,810 what we what we know with our allies 194 00:10:39,810 --> 00:10:42,560 and partners , and we really have done 195 00:10:42,940 --> 00:10:45,400 a very , very 196 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:48,980 extensive job of making sure that our 197 00:10:48,980 --> 00:10:51,880 allies knew what we knew as soon as 198 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,520 possible . Uh , but I think in order to 199 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:57,687 address the issues that the issue that 200 00:10:57,687 --> 00:10:59,520 you , that you raised , uh , the 201 00:10:59,520 --> 00:11:01,187 solution is to continue to be 202 00:11:01,187 --> 00:11:03,650 transparent to continue to , you know , 203 00:11:03,650 --> 00:11:06,110 talk to uh to the american people and 204 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,009 and people around the world quite 205 00:11:08,009 --> 00:11:10,176 frankly and and and explain what we're 206 00:11:10,176 --> 00:11:12,800 seeing . Uh and uh and I think you know 207 00:11:12,810 --> 00:11:14,866 that that has been very helpful thus 208 00:11:14,866 --> 00:11:16,977 far . We will continue to do that and 209 00:11:16,977 --> 00:11:19,270 we certainly endeavor to do that while 210 00:11:19,270 --> 00:11:21,326 we're in this conference this week . 211 00:11:22,340 --> 00:11:26,320 Next question goes to carla bob voice 212 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:27,320 over , 213 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,951 thank you for doing this . Ukraine is 214 00:11:32,951 --> 00:11:35,118 calling this week's cyber attack , the 215 00:11:35,118 --> 00:11:37,284 largest in the country's history . Can 216 00:11:37,284 --> 00:11:39,396 you confirm whether Russia was behind 217 00:11:39,396 --> 00:11:41,562 this attack ? And President biden last 218 00:11:41,562 --> 00:11:43,673 month said that if something short of 219 00:11:43,673 --> 00:11:45,729 an invasion happens , like if Russia 220 00:11:45,729 --> 00:11:47,951 continued to use cyber attacks , the US 221 00:11:47,951 --> 00:11:49,951 could respond in a similar way with 222 00:11:49,951 --> 00:11:52,173 cyber . So has the U . S . Responded to 223 00:11:52,173 --> 00:11:54,340 the latest attack ? And if not why not 224 00:11:56,940 --> 00:11:59,420 in terms of confirming whether or not 225 00:11:59,430 --> 00:12:02,240 this was Russia that was behind us . We 226 00:12:02,250 --> 00:12:04,500 again , the intelligence community 227 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:08,360 continues to assess what happened there . 228 00:12:08,940 --> 00:12:11,162 But I would just point to you point out 229 00:12:11,162 --> 00:12:14,320 to you that this is a play taken out of 230 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,890 his his playbook . You know , we we 231 00:12:16,900 --> 00:12:20,160 would expect to see before any attack . 232 00:12:20,170 --> 00:12:23,720 We would expect to see uh cyberattacks 233 00:12:23,730 --> 00:12:27,450 false flag activities in 234 00:12:27,450 --> 00:12:29,850 a number of other things increasing 235 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,780 rhetoric in the information space . And 236 00:12:33,780 --> 00:12:36,360 we're beginning to see more and more of 237 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:40,000 that in terms of a response to the 238 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,280 cyber attack . If someone attacks the 239 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,502 United States of America then certainly 240 00:12:45,502 --> 00:12:48,500 we will we will hold that that element 241 00:12:48,510 --> 00:12:52,400 responsible or accountable uh in uh 242 00:12:52,410 --> 00:12:54,810 in at this point , nobody , you know , 243 00:12:54,820 --> 00:12:56,876 we haven't seen it . We have we have 244 00:12:56,876 --> 00:12:59,042 not been attacked , NATO elements have 245 00:12:59,042 --> 00:13:02,970 not been attacked . So uh we'll 246 00:13:02,970 --> 00:13:05,760 leave it at that . Okay , last question 247 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:08,430 today goes to natalia drozdiak from 248 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,440 Bloomberg , where are you ? Natalia 249 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,660 there you are , where are you ? I'm 250 00:13:13,660 --> 00:13:15,980 here , thank you Mr Secretary for the 251 00:13:15,980 --> 00:13:18,730 question . Um So some of these troops 252 00:13:18,730 --> 00:13:20,730 that we've seen Russia , mass along 253 00:13:20,730 --> 00:13:22,990 Ukraine's border have come from very 254 00:13:22,990 --> 00:13:26,430 far parts of Russia's territory , 255 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,030 including the far east . So why do you 256 00:13:29,030 --> 00:13:31,141 think Russia feels comfortable enough 257 00:13:31,141 --> 00:13:33,230 to leave that border with china 258 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:35,810 undefended ? Does this represent a 259 00:13:35,810 --> 00:13:38,000 closer alliance between the 2 ? Thank 260 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,300 you . Well , you know , 261 00:13:41,310 --> 00:13:45,000 certainly ah I can't 262 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,110 speak to the to the strength of that 263 00:13:47,110 --> 00:13:49,830 alliance . Uh what I can say and I'm 264 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:52,560 not sure it infers uh anything at all . 265 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:55,760 But we did note with alarm 266 00:13:56,370 --> 00:13:59,260 china's tacit approval of 267 00:13:59,940 --> 00:14:02,360 Putin's activities here in the region . 268 00:14:02,940 --> 00:14:06,310 So I'm not sure that we can we can 269 00:14:06,310 --> 00:14:09,510 make any kind of direct inference from 270 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:11,464 uh from what you just raised . But 271 00:14:11,464 --> 00:14:13,520 certainly those are things that will 272 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,576 continue to to watch going forward . 273 00:14:15,576 --> 00:14:17,576 But I think you raise a very , very 274 00:14:17,576 --> 00:14:19,631 interesting and important question . 275 00:14:20,070 --> 00:14:22,237 Okay , thanks everybody that concludes 276 00:14:22,237 --> 00:14:24,237 today's pressure appreciate it very 277 00:14:24,237 --> 00:14:24,350 much . Thank you