WEBVTT 00:00.840 --> 00:01.560 mm hmm . 00:17.340 --> 00:20.310 Okay . Just one quick note at the top 00:20.320 --> 00:22.750 today , I think as you all saw 00:22.750 --> 00:25.050 following the NATO heads of state and 00:25.050 --> 00:27.660 government approval of defense plans . 00:28.440 --> 00:30.740 Um the NATO supreme allied commander , 00:30.740 --> 00:32.629 europe general Walters released a 00:32.629 --> 00:34.629 statement . I think you've all seen 00:34.629 --> 00:36.573 this on the activation of the NATO 00:36.573 --> 00:38.740 response force . Um there's a historic 00:38.740 --> 00:40.740 nature to all of this . This is the 00:40.740 --> 00:42.573 first time that the alliance has 00:42.573 --> 00:44.796 employed these high readiness forces in 00:44.796 --> 00:47.018 a deterrence and defense role . So it's 00:47.018 --> 00:48.851 not an insignificant move by the 00:48.851 --> 00:51.073 alliance . This activation serves as an 00:51.073 --> 00:53.360 additional notice or warning order as 00:53.360 --> 00:55.470 you guys are familiar with for the 00:55.470 --> 00:57.710 allies who contribute to the NATO 00:57.710 --> 00:59.950 response force . I'm not gonna have 00:59.950 --> 01:02.760 specifics for you today on 01:03.340 --> 01:06.860 units , timelines , schedules 01:07.740 --> 01:11.720 as NATO communicates , what it's going 01:11.720 --> 01:13.950 to need from the United States , just 01:13.950 --> 01:16.117 like it will to other nations . Um and 01:16.117 --> 01:18.500 as they do that we will certainly be 01:18.500 --> 01:20.667 able to acknowledge and announce those 01:20.667 --> 01:22.889 U . S . Capabilities and units who will 01:22.889 --> 01:25.720 be going specifically as designated to 01:25.720 --> 01:28.400 support the NATO mission and the NATO 01:28.400 --> 01:31.940 response force . Now as we've also 01:31.940 --> 01:34.510 announced previously , the department 01:34.520 --> 01:36.520 has placed a range of multi mission 01:36.520 --> 01:38.631 units in the United States and europe 01:38.631 --> 01:40.909 on a heightened preparedness to deploy , 01:40.909 --> 01:42.742 which increases our readiness to 01:42.742 --> 01:44.853 provide for the U . S . Contributions 01:44.853 --> 01:46.853 to the NRF on a shorter tether than 01:46.853 --> 01:49.200 what we could do before with today's 01:49.200 --> 01:52.250 activation notice by general Walters we 01:52.250 --> 01:55.070 stand ready if called upon by NATO to 01:55.070 --> 01:57.181 support the Nrf in the defense of the 01:57.181 --> 01:59.480 alliance and will absolutely do that . 01:59.490 --> 02:01.601 Uh and with that we'll take questions 02:01.601 --> 02:05.330 bob . Thank you john so 02:05.680 --> 02:07.736 two things on that point , President 02:07.736 --> 02:10.220 biden just announced that he has 02:10.220 --> 02:12.331 ordered additional forces to europe . 02:12.420 --> 02:14.600 And is that part of what you just 02:14.600 --> 02:17.460 described ? And the second question is 02:18.240 --> 02:20.960 so NATO has activated a portion of the 02:21.520 --> 02:24.570 rapid or the response force 02:26.340 --> 02:29.140 and you can't say how many troops the U . 02:29.140 --> 02:31.140 S . Will contribute to that because 02:31.140 --> 02:33.196 they haven't asked for any trip to . 02:33.196 --> 02:34.807 Yeah . So I think the in the 02:34.807 --> 02:36.973 president's statement , I think he was 02:36.973 --> 02:39.307 referring to his announcement yesterday . 02:39.307 --> 02:41.307 This was a readout of his call with 02:41.307 --> 02:42.973 President Zelensky and he was 02:42.973 --> 02:46.960 reiterating that uh what uh in that 02:46.970 --> 02:49.030 in that conversation he was pointing 02:49.030 --> 02:51.141 back to the announcement that he made 02:51.141 --> 02:52.752 yesterday . So I have no new 02:52.752 --> 02:54.863 announcements of force deployments to 02:54.863 --> 02:56.752 speak to today . Think about this 02:56.752 --> 02:59.090 activation a bit like you would an R . 02:59.090 --> 03:01.257 F . F . A request for forces . Right , 03:01.257 --> 03:03.890 so it's now been activated And so we'll 03:03.890 --> 03:06.140 be in direct consultations with NATO 03:06.140 --> 03:08.600 and general Walters in his sack your 03:08.600 --> 03:10.800 hat to work through what their 03:10.800 --> 03:13.820 requirements are gonna be for the NATO 03:13.820 --> 03:16.760 Response force and the very ready joint 03:16.760 --> 03:20.010 Task force . And as I've said many 03:20.010 --> 03:23.560 times before , the secretary is very 03:23.560 --> 03:25.504 very committed to making sure that 03:25.504 --> 03:28.760 whatever those requirements are uh that 03:28.760 --> 03:30.704 the United States is ready to lean 03:30.704 --> 03:32.371 forward as much as possible . 03:32.440 --> 03:34.551 Yesterday's announcement , you know , 03:34.551 --> 03:36.551 the 7000 . And we talked about as I 03:36.551 --> 03:40.220 also said yesterday uh portions of 03:40.220 --> 03:43.840 them are , we can 03:43.840 --> 03:46.340 expect will be earmarked for the NATO 03:46.340 --> 03:49.370 response force . Again after we've 03:49.370 --> 03:51.592 consulted with general Walters and NATO 03:51.592 --> 03:53.759 and we understand what they need . But 03:53.759 --> 03:55.926 one of the reasons why President biden 03:56.340 --> 03:58.284 push them forward was so that they 03:58.284 --> 04:00.530 could be ready for just such a need and 04:00.540 --> 04:04.080 we wanted to get the clock going to to 04:04.080 --> 04:06.550 get them to get them prepositioned if 04:06.550 --> 04:08.383 you will . So there's still some 04:08.383 --> 04:10.494 homework to be done , still some math 04:10.494 --> 04:12.828 that needs to be worked out . But again , 04:12.828 --> 04:14.939 the Secretary wanted to make sure and 04:14.939 --> 04:17.050 the President obviously wants to make 04:17.050 --> 04:16.770 sure that we're leaning as far forward 04:16.770 --> 04:20.730 as we can . I mean , 04:20.740 --> 04:23.470 it could , it could be um again , we're 04:23.470 --> 04:25.470 gonna , we're going to work closely 04:25.470 --> 04:27.581 with NATO and make sure that we fully 04:27.581 --> 04:29.637 understand what the requirements are 04:29.637 --> 04:31.859 from the United States perspective . Uh 04:31.859 --> 04:31.540 and then , and then we'll move forward . 04:31.550 --> 04:35.490 But the , but the um A good chunk of 04:35.490 --> 04:38.590 the 7000 we talked about yesterday , um 04:38.600 --> 04:41.160 we believe will be earmarked 04:41.640 --> 04:45.200 for NATO contributions . Again , if 04:45.200 --> 04:47.350 it's , if it's deemed that they are 04:47.350 --> 04:49.406 needed , they are wanted and they're 04:49.406 --> 04:51.461 ready and if they aren't , well then 04:51.461 --> 04:53.406 they'll be used . They can be used 04:53.406 --> 04:55.461 unilaterally to support and reassure 04:55.461 --> 04:57.710 our allies for for the President for 04:57.710 --> 04:59.766 the and for the Secretary , this was 04:59.766 --> 05:02.043 very much about trying to lean forward . 05:02.043 --> 05:04.099 So I don't have any specifics to say 05:04.099 --> 05:06.266 today , specific units or timelines or 05:06.266 --> 05:08.321 schedules . Um , but I want to point 05:08.321 --> 05:10.543 back to what we said all along that the 05:10.543 --> 05:12.766 United States , we take this commitment 05:12.766 --> 05:14.766 very , very seriously and and we're 05:14.766 --> 05:16.821 gonna lean in as as much as we can . 05:16.821 --> 05:18.932 Okay . Part of criticism has been two 05:18.932 --> 05:21.099 days into the invasion . This was seen 05:21.099 --> 05:23.210 coming , you know , a couple of weeks 05:23.210 --> 05:25.154 ago . Why are there still such few 05:25.154 --> 05:27.432 details ? And if the need is so urgent , 05:27.870 --> 05:29.981 you know , they could roll in through 05:29.981 --> 05:32.130 Kiev in the coming days . Why not be 05:32.130 --> 05:34.190 able to give more details about what 05:34.190 --> 05:36.710 units are going , where you know what , 05:36.720 --> 05:38.850 why aren't there ? I guess . I'm not 05:38.850 --> 05:40.961 sure what , I'm not sure what Russian 05:40.961 --> 05:43.072 operations in Kiev has to do with the 05:43.072 --> 05:44.890 timing of of of how soon we can 05:44.890 --> 05:48.390 identify units address . I if I , if I 05:48.390 --> 05:51.950 may very politely just uh 05:52.340 --> 05:54.451 challenged the premise here . We have 05:54.451 --> 05:56.673 been in the United States in particular 05:56.673 --> 05:58.840 has been very forward leaning in terms 05:58.840 --> 06:00.896 of reassuring allies . Um , and with 06:00.896 --> 06:03.118 each muscle movement , we've been right 06:03.118 --> 06:04.729 up here talking about it and 06:04.729 --> 06:06.896 identifying them to the , to the level 06:06.896 --> 06:09.007 of specificity that we can . Um as we 06:09.007 --> 06:12.570 did again yesterday . Um uh , 06:12.580 --> 06:15.210 but the way the process works in NATO 06:15.210 --> 06:17.321 is you have to approve a defense plan 06:17.321 --> 06:19.321 first and then the activation comes 06:19.321 --> 06:21.488 second that happened today . The heads 06:21.488 --> 06:24.740 of state approved defense plans , which 06:24.740 --> 06:27.830 then gave general Walters as secure the 06:27.830 --> 06:31.030 authorization , He needed to authorized 06:31.040 --> 06:34.080 the activation of the NRF and then now 06:34.080 --> 06:36.191 it goes to the nation's to fill those 06:36.191 --> 06:37.802 needs . But we have to be in 06:37.802 --> 06:40.024 consultation with NATO about what those 06:40.024 --> 06:42.358 needs are . Again , to my answer to bob , 06:42.358 --> 06:42.080 it's it's kind of , it's not unlike a 06:42.080 --> 06:43.950 request for forces , it's just a 06:43.960 --> 06:46.071 different process , but it's the same 06:46.071 --> 06:48.404 idea . So I don't think that , you know , 06:48.404 --> 06:50.460 we're not waiting on anything . As a 06:50.460 --> 06:52.571 matter of fact , quite the contrary , 06:52.571 --> 06:54.627 the secretary's orders authorized by 06:54.627 --> 06:56.793 the president yesterday actually put a 06:56.793 --> 06:58.960 good chunk of troops coming from . The 06:58.960 --> 07:01.016 state's going to Europe so that they 07:01.016 --> 07:00.760 can be ready for just these kinds of 07:00.760 --> 07:02.649 needs . Clarifications . How many 07:02.649 --> 07:04.704 troops are prepared to deploy orders 07:04.704 --> 07:07.230 now ? Is it still 8500 ? No , it's it's 07:07.230 --> 07:09.063 north of that and I've said that 07:09.063 --> 07:11.063 publicly before , it's several 1000 07:11.063 --> 07:13.119 more . Um north of the 8500 that was 07:13.119 --> 07:16.060 originally put on prepare to deploy gen 07:16.840 --> 07:18.860 john President Lynskey has made a 07:18.860 --> 07:21.540 passionate appeal to the U . S . And 07:21.540 --> 07:23.990 NATO to set up a no fly zone over 07:23.990 --> 07:26.157 Ukraine . They have fought , as you've 07:26.157 --> 07:29.880 said valiantly on the ground , Russia 07:29.880 --> 07:32.213 does not have air superiority right now , 07:32.213 --> 07:35.350 why not set up that no fly zone at 07:35.360 --> 07:38.990 Ukraine's request . Uh look that's a 07:39.000 --> 07:41.690 policy decision at the at the nation 07:41.690 --> 07:45.120 state level I um I haven't seen the 07:45.120 --> 07:47.130 request that President Zelensky has 07:47.130 --> 07:50.890 made . Um I would just tell you 07:53.040 --> 07:55.262 Syria where there are Russian warplanes 07:55.262 --> 07:57.429 there . it's been set up in the past , 07:57.429 --> 07:59.540 there's historical precedent for it . 07:59.540 --> 08:03.290 Why not unite NATO european nations to 08:03.290 --> 08:05.290 set up a no fly zone ? I would just 08:05.290 --> 08:08.260 tell you that that that would have to 08:08.260 --> 08:10.371 be a discussion inside the alliance . 08:11.040 --> 08:13.207 The President has been very clear that 08:13.207 --> 08:15.373 U . S . Troops will not be fighting in 08:15.373 --> 08:17.460 Ukraine and that our focus is on 08:18.040 --> 08:20.150 helping them defend themselves . And 08:20.150 --> 08:22.261 we've done that Uh and we're going to 08:22.261 --> 08:24.317 continue to look for ways to do that 08:24.317 --> 08:27.350 and to shore up our NATO allies and our 08:27.360 --> 08:30.720 our defenses on on NATO territory . How 08:30.720 --> 08:32.887 would you characterize the fighting in 08:32.887 --> 08:34.780 the last 36 hours in terms of the 08:34.780 --> 08:37.860 Ukrainian fighting and what Russia's 08:37.860 --> 08:39.916 experience ? Well , you know , I'm a 08:39.916 --> 08:42.138 little loath to get into a blow by blow 08:42.138 --> 08:43.971 here from the pentagon podium on 08:43.971 --> 08:46.138 operations that were not involved in . 08:46.330 --> 08:48.608 I would just tell you broadly speaking , 08:48.650 --> 08:49.920 that 08:52.540 --> 08:55.660 that we we see clear indications that 08:55.670 --> 08:57.892 the Ukrainian armed forces are fighting 08:57.892 --> 09:00.580 back and bravely defending their 09:00.580 --> 09:04.430 country . And we also see 09:04.430 --> 09:08.010 indications that there have been 09:08.010 --> 09:09.954 measures of success in that regard 09:09.954 --> 09:13.010 because um again , without getting into 09:13.010 --> 09:16.630 a blow by blow , It's not 09:16.640 --> 09:19.680 apparent to us that the Russians over 09:19.680 --> 09:21.680 the last 24 hours have been able to 09:21.680 --> 09:24.730 execute their plans um , as as as they 09:24.730 --> 09:27.310 deemed that , they would . but it's a 09:27.310 --> 09:30.260 dynamic , fluid situation , it's uh 09:30.940 --> 09:33.750 uh it wouldn't be responsible for us to 09:33.760 --> 09:36.550 talk about it and , you know in a in a 09:36.560 --> 09:40.370 predictive way right now . Um And 09:40.370 --> 09:42.370 uh and we're just we're gonna we're 09:42.370 --> 09:44.537 watching as closely as we can but they 09:44.537 --> 09:46.648 are fighting back , they are fighting 09:46.648 --> 09:48.703 for their country and uh and they're 09:48.703 --> 09:51.220 doing so bravely facing setbacks on the 09:51.220 --> 09:53.442 battlefield From what our understanding 09:53.442 --> 09:55.387 is that they have experienced some 09:55.387 --> 09:58.950 setbacks . Yes . Uh Let's go Megan 09:59.840 --> 10:01.920 On the forces who have been put on 10:01.920 --> 10:04.540 alert and then activated earlier this 10:04.540 --> 10:08.210 month . It was 8500 . The Pentagon has 10:08.210 --> 10:10.266 said since then that there were more 10:10.266 --> 10:12.770 people put on prepare to deploy orders . 10:12.780 --> 10:15.090 You also there the Pentagon has also 10:15.090 --> 10:17.230 said that the 7000 troops activated 10:17.230 --> 10:19.286 yesterday . Some of them had been on 10:19.286 --> 10:21.452 that part of that original 80 500 some 10:21.452 --> 10:23.674 of them weren't . So my question is how 10:23.674 --> 10:25.786 many troops total since the beginning 10:25.786 --> 10:27.952 of this month have been put on prepare 10:27.952 --> 10:29.952 to deploy orders ? And how many are 10:29.952 --> 10:32.174 still on prepare to deploy orders after 10:32.174 --> 10:34.286 this activation yesterday , Megan , I 10:34.286 --> 10:36.508 don't have an exact figure for you . As 10:36.508 --> 10:38.619 I said it's been several 1000 more in 10:38.619 --> 10:41.360 addition to the 8500 . Um So uh 10:41.370 --> 10:43.860 somewhere between 10 and 12,000 total 10:44.340 --> 10:47.010 um have been put on prepare to deploy 10:47.010 --> 10:50.020 or or or accelerated . Some of them 10:50.020 --> 10:53.610 were already on PTO And we'd shorten 10:53.610 --> 10:55.777 that tether for instance in some cases 10:55.777 --> 10:58.550 from 10 to 5 days some of that number 10:59.040 --> 11:01.350 it wasn't on heightened alert and so we 11:01.350 --> 11:03.572 did put them on P . T . D . O . Prepare 11:03.572 --> 11:05.628 to deploy orders . It varies by unit 11:05.628 --> 11:08.830 and by capability . Um And I don't have 11:08.830 --> 11:12.140 an exact breakdown of of what is Going 11:12.140 --> 11:14.430 to be going as a part of this NATO 11:14.430 --> 11:16.597 response force package . Because again 11:16.597 --> 11:18.597 we're still working our way through 11:18.597 --> 11:18.240 that requirement . The question is 11:18.250 --> 11:20.780 who's on alert ? Who has been on alert ? 11:20.790 --> 11:22.957 Who is no longer on alert and is going 11:22.957 --> 11:25.012 I don't have I don't have a specific 11:25.012 --> 11:27.234 list for you today . And in 12,000 have 11:27.234 --> 11:29.234 been the total amount who have been 11:29.234 --> 11:31.346 alert roughly roughly . Is it safe to 11:31.346 --> 11:33.401 detect 7000 from that roughly to say 11:33.401 --> 11:37.340 that there are . So again we've 11:37.340 --> 11:39.507 got to be careful here Megan . Not not 11:39.507 --> 11:42.060 everybody that has been put on a 11:42.060 --> 11:44.830 heightened alert posture is earmarked 11:44.830 --> 11:47.420 for the NATO response force . Some of 11:47.420 --> 11:49.540 those units are simply that the 11:49.540 --> 11:51.762 secretary wanted to make sure they were 11:51.762 --> 11:53.762 more ready to go uh in a unilateral 11:53.762 --> 11:57.020 capacity . Some maybe uh perfectly 11:57.030 --> 11:59.197 placed in being to be used for the V . 11:59.197 --> 12:01.410 JTF we'll have to see what what what 12:01.410 --> 12:04.250 the requirements look like . Um So it's 12:04.260 --> 12:06.820 it's not a it's not binary it's not , 12:06.820 --> 12:09.850 well that's all these troops are just 12:09.850 --> 12:12.190 designated for NATO and these troops 12:12.190 --> 12:14.680 are just designated for unilateral . Um 12:14.690 --> 12:18.190 These units that the president 12:18.190 --> 12:21.130 announced yesterday that 7000 they 12:21.130 --> 12:23.370 could very well fit the bill for the 12:23.370 --> 12:26.420 NATO response force . Um And uh and and 12:26.420 --> 12:29.710 maybe they won't and we'll have them uh 12:29.720 --> 12:31.910 ready in a three point stance in case 12:31.910 --> 12:33.640 we need them from from from a 12:33.650 --> 12:35.890 unilateral perspective . So that's why 12:35.890 --> 12:38.100 I'm being very careful today because 12:38.100 --> 12:42.030 it's it's not either or it's 12:42.040 --> 12:44.151 it's a menu of options that are going 12:44.151 --> 12:46.262 to be available to national leaders . 12:46.262 --> 12:48.760 And again , what I can promise is as we 12:48.760 --> 12:51.620 get solidity on this and and more 12:51.620 --> 12:54.330 specificity will detail that for you . 12:54.850 --> 12:57.017 There are several 1000 more who are on 12:57.017 --> 12:58.906 some sort of heightened alert for 12:58.906 --> 13:01.220 europe in general . It is safe to say 13:01.220 --> 13:02.940 that it is safe to say that 13:04.270 --> 13:08.190 thank you . Um I understand that 13:08.200 --> 13:11.970 NATO gave the order to prepare 13:11.970 --> 13:15.690 the troops . What would trigger NATO 13:15.700 --> 13:19.510 to deploy them ? Would it be 13:19.890 --> 13:22.400 Russian troops going to the west of 13:22.400 --> 13:25.340 Ukraine or what kind of 13:25.350 --> 13:28.810 threat would trigger their 13:28.820 --> 13:32.620 effective deployment ? That that 13:32.620 --> 13:34.731 really is a decision for the knack to 13:34.731 --> 13:36.676 make for the alliance to make . It 13:36.676 --> 13:38.509 wouldn't be a unilateral U . S . 13:38.509 --> 13:41.350 Decision . Um I think today's uh 13:41.360 --> 13:43.416 approval of the defense plan and the 13:43.416 --> 13:45.749 activation itself as I said is historic , 13:45.749 --> 13:47.971 the first time that they have been been 13:47.971 --> 13:50.090 so activated . Um That's a big deal . 13:50.090 --> 13:52.910 Now again , what does it look like ? 13:52.920 --> 13:55.730 How many and where does the alliance 13:55.730 --> 13:58.010 want to place them all of that is still 13:58.010 --> 14:01.240 being worked out and it's and and so I 14:01.250 --> 14:03.306 can't honestly answer your questions 14:03.306 --> 14:05.890 about what what the trigger is . Um I 14:05.890 --> 14:09.680 think you can safely assume that that 14:09.740 --> 14:11.740 what has been triggered here is the 14:11.740 --> 14:13.962 activation and the trigger for that has 14:13.962 --> 14:15.850 been this unlawful , 14:17.240 --> 14:21.200 unlawful invasion again by 14:21.210 --> 14:22.660 Russia into Ukraine . 14:26.020 --> 14:28.850 Secretary also mentioned about 14:29.240 --> 14:33.120 providing defense article support and 14:33.130 --> 14:36.660 also including air defense systems to 14:37.240 --> 14:40.090 great . Is there going to be any input 14:40.100 --> 14:42.156 from the United States , any type of 14:42.156 --> 14:44.260 air defense systems like patriots or 14:45.680 --> 14:47.402 what I would tell you is we're 14:47.402 --> 14:49.569 continuing to look for ways to support 14:49.569 --> 14:51.624 Ukraine to to defend themselves . We 14:51.624 --> 14:55.120 have continued to do that and uh , and 14:55.120 --> 14:58.050 we're going to look uh , to do that 14:58.050 --> 15:00.380 going forward and we're very actively 15:00.380 --> 15:02.860 engaged in in those efforts to help 15:02.860 --> 15:05.490 them better defend themselves through 15:05.490 --> 15:07.601 both lethal and non lethal assistance 15:07.840 --> 15:10.090 from the very get go . I have not been 15:10.090 --> 15:13.570 detailing for any of you , each and 15:13.570 --> 15:15.681 every package each and every shipment 15:15.840 --> 15:18.007 because I think you can understand and 15:18.007 --> 15:20.007 it's particularly relevant now that 15:20.007 --> 15:22.450 Ukraine is involved in a no kidding 15:22.450 --> 15:25.060 invasion of their country , um , 15:26.350 --> 15:28.540 that we wouldn't want to put it out 15:28.540 --> 15:30.830 there in the public space . Everything 15:30.830 --> 15:33.108 they're getting from the United States . 15:33.108 --> 15:35.710 So we're gonna continue to be judicious 15:35.710 --> 15:37.988 about how much detail we put out there , 15:37.988 --> 15:39.932 but we know they have self defense 15:39.932 --> 15:42.099 needs . We're gonna do the best we can 15:42.099 --> 15:44.210 to fill them and what's more is other 15:44.210 --> 15:43.750 nations are too , it's not just the 15:43.750 --> 15:47.330 United States . David without detailing , 15:47.340 --> 15:49.570 can you say , are you continuing to 15:49.570 --> 15:53.310 ship defense equipment to 15:53.520 --> 15:57.360 Ukraine ? We are we are 15:57.740 --> 15:59.684 we have , let me put it this way , 15:59.684 --> 16:01.518 David , we we have not we're not 16:01.518 --> 16:04.610 talking about the effort to help them 16:05.240 --> 16:07.462 defend themselves . We have not talking 16:07.462 --> 16:09.518 about the effort to provide security 16:09.518 --> 16:11.573 assistance in a lethal and nonlethal 16:11.573 --> 16:13.796 way in in the past tense . And leave it 16:13.796 --> 16:14.796 at that jenny , 16:18.140 --> 16:20.410 we're doing we're continuing to provide 16:20.410 --> 16:22.466 ways for them to defend themselves . 16:22.466 --> 16:24.410 That's as far as I'm going to go . 16:24.410 --> 16:27.000 We're continuing we're continuing just 16:27.000 --> 16:28.778 looking at ways to support your 16:28.778 --> 16:31.710 continuing to it's not , yeah , I 16:31.710 --> 16:33.766 wasn't trying to be funny . It's not 16:33.766 --> 16:35.877 past tense . It's not over . It's not 16:35.877 --> 16:37.877 done . We're continuing to look for 16:37.877 --> 16:37.660 ways to help them defend themselves 16:37.670 --> 16:41.000 janey . Thank you , john , I have two 16:41.000 --> 16:43.850 occasions on Russia and South Korea 16:44.630 --> 16:47.530 Station & You Know , You Lost Your Head 16:47.540 --> 16:50.360 one Death . It will retaliate 16:51.120 --> 16:54.660 Immediately if there is a 14 state 16:55.540 --> 16:59.510 intervenes in Russia's movements . What 16:59.510 --> 17:01.550 is your comment ? I follow up 17:01.560 --> 17:04.160 segregation . What is my comment about ? 17:05.620 --> 17:07.453 I'm sorry . Can you say it again 17:10.140 --> 17:14.060 immediately If There's a 14 17:14.070 --> 17:16.490 state intervenes 17:17.540 --> 17:19.960 vicious . Look , 17:22.840 --> 17:26.810 we're we're going 17:26.810 --> 17:28.977 to do everything that we need to do to 17:28.977 --> 17:32.180 defend our country . And as the 17:32.190 --> 17:34.357 President has said , we're going to do 17:34.357 --> 17:36.579 what we need to do to defend every inch 17:36.579 --> 17:38.579 of NATO territory And we take those 17:38.579 --> 17:40.579 obligations seriously . Both to the 17:40.579 --> 17:43.130 american people and to um the to our 17:43.130 --> 17:45.130 allies . I'll just leave it at that 17:45.780 --> 17:47.947 time . The second location at the same 17:47.947 --> 17:51.910 time said if the South Korea joined 17:51.920 --> 17:54.860 the sanctions along with the United 17:54.870 --> 17:58.200 States , it really did not have the 17:58.210 --> 18:01.120 korean peninsula issues . How can you 18:01.120 --> 18:04.130 comment on this ? You 18:04.700 --> 18:08.410 cannot have the korean peninsula 18:08.410 --> 18:11.060 issues if South Korea 18:11.840 --> 18:15.840 join sanctions along with the United 18:15.850 --> 18:16.590 States ? 18:19.540 --> 18:22.500 Well , you know that South Korea joined 18:22.510 --> 18:26.010 the sanctions . We welcome that 18:26.590 --> 18:30.120 warning that South Korea doing this . 18:30.450 --> 18:34.220 They have we welcome 18:34.230 --> 18:37.660 we welcome the comments made by our 18:37.660 --> 18:40.670 South korean allies . We welcome there 18:41.440 --> 18:43.384 willingness to impose sanctions on 18:43.384 --> 18:45.740 Russia , as so many other countries are 18:45.740 --> 18:48.400 doing . Um and I think the message is 18:48.400 --> 18:51.440 very clear that one that that Mr Putin 18:51.440 --> 18:55.430 continues to isolate himself and and 18:55.440 --> 18:58.840 uh and his people by by these reckless 18:58.840 --> 19:00.729 and unlawful actions . And so you 19:00.729 --> 19:02.840 you're seeing out of South Korea what 19:02.840 --> 19:04.951 you're seeing so many other places in 19:04.951 --> 19:06.840 the world where countries are are 19:06.840 --> 19:08.951 making very clear , very demonstrably 19:08.951 --> 19:11.620 so , um their condemnation of this 19:11.630 --> 19:15.200 invasion of Ukraine . And again , we we 19:15.200 --> 19:17.350 welcome the contributions to that 19:17.360 --> 19:19.710 effort by South Korea . I just asked a 19:19.720 --> 19:22.920 follow up , did you say that the United 19:22.920 --> 19:26.170 States is looking for ways you are 19:26.180 --> 19:30.010 continuing guys ? I'm 19:30.010 --> 19:32.430 not sure why this has become such a 19:32.430 --> 19:35.560 rhetorical exercise . We continue 19:37.420 --> 19:41.050 to provide for support for Ukraine to 19:41.050 --> 19:44.990 defend itself . The situation right 19:45.100 --> 19:47.100 is different in Ukraine than it was 19:47.100 --> 19:49.170 just a few days ago . So it would 19:49.170 --> 19:51.650 follow . I would think that we're going , 19:51.660 --> 19:54.270 you know , that uh that we're gonna 19:55.040 --> 19:57.680 have to look for other ways to do this . 19:58.940 --> 20:02.870 The airspace over Ukraine is contested . 20:02.870 --> 20:05.037 The Russians don't have superiority of 20:05.037 --> 20:08.770 it . It's contested . So 20:10.040 --> 20:13.690 we are going to be very clear here , we 20:13.690 --> 20:16.150 are going to provide additional 20:16.150 --> 20:18.910 security assistance for Ukraine . We 20:18.910 --> 20:22.390 will how that is going to be done is 20:22.390 --> 20:24.723 still being worked out . Does that help ? 20:24.723 --> 20:28.470 Okay , good , dan . Thank you . 20:28.480 --> 20:30.591 I was looking for a pentagon reaction 20:30.591 --> 20:33.130 today to the back and forth . Um 20:33.140 --> 20:35.362 Finland came forward with some comments 20:35.362 --> 20:37.820 suggesting the Mayberry entertained who 20:37.820 --> 20:41.420 did . Finland . Finland came forward , 20:41.430 --> 20:44.320 raising the prospect of reorienting 20:44.330 --> 20:46.810 toward NATO a little bit more . Russia 20:46.810 --> 20:49.790 responded and basically made another 20:49.790 --> 20:52.012 veiled threat there . Do you anticipate 20:52.012 --> 20:54.346 from the Defense Department perspective , 20:54.346 --> 20:56.512 any different kinds of conversations ? 20:56.512 --> 20:59.280 Any renewed discussions that would 20:59.280 --> 21:01.558 bring Finland under NATO with anything ? 21:01.558 --> 21:03.780 I'm not aware of any such discussions , 21:03.780 --> 21:05.947 dan . Um again , that would be for the 21:05.947 --> 21:07.891 alliance to speak to you , not the 21:07.891 --> 21:10.002 United States . I would just say what 21:10.002 --> 21:12.224 we said before in the case of Ukraine , 21:13.340 --> 21:15.229 who a nation , a sovereign nation 21:15.229 --> 21:17.562 associates with what alliances it joins . 21:17.562 --> 21:19.784 That's between that nation and that and 21:19.784 --> 21:21.896 the alliance in this case it would be 21:21.896 --> 21:24.250 between um any country in NATO uh and 21:24.260 --> 21:26.620 Mr Putin doesn't get a veto over that . 21:26.620 --> 21:28.731 He doesn't get to decide unilaterally 21:28.731 --> 21:30.550 on his own what an independent 21:30.560 --> 21:33.810 sovereign state uh chooses to do with 21:33.820 --> 21:36.190 with its association and the alliances 21:36.190 --> 21:38.412 that it wants to join . So I don't know 21:38.412 --> 21:41.520 of any renewed conversations with 21:41.520 --> 21:43.631 respect to Finland , but again , that 21:43.631 --> 21:45.853 would really be between Finland and for 21:45.853 --> 21:48.020 the alliance to speak to you . Not the 21:48.020 --> 21:50.131 United States put another way Ukraine 21:50.131 --> 21:52.020 was reorienting toward the West , 21:52.020 --> 21:53.909 they're paying dearly right now . 21:53.909 --> 21:55.964 Finland has raised similar prospects 21:55.964 --> 21:58.460 and are now also being threatened . Is 21:58.460 --> 22:00.870 there any straight line here that we 22:00.870 --> 22:03.480 should be addressing about threats on 22:03.480 --> 22:05.702 Finland ? And what that also would mean 22:05.702 --> 22:07.924 to europe , if there was a similar sort 22:07.924 --> 22:09.702 of operation on Finland , we'll 22:09.702 --> 22:11.591 certainly that would be extremely 22:11.591 --> 22:15.390 destabilizing . Um and I don't we don't 22:15.390 --> 22:17.168 have any indication that that's 22:17.168 --> 22:19.279 necessarily in the offing in terms of 22:19.279 --> 22:22.940 actual conflict there . Um and so I I 22:22.940 --> 22:24.829 don't want to speculate about the 22:24.829 --> 22:26.940 prospects of that or what we would do 22:26.940 --> 22:28.940 if that happened , I would just say 22:28.940 --> 22:32.370 that we are right now in a 22:32.370 --> 22:35.740 situation where um obviously the 22:35.740 --> 22:38.073 security of Ukraine is being threatened , 22:38.073 --> 22:40.296 but but european security writ large is 22:40.296 --> 22:42.462 being threatened , and you've seen the 22:42.462 --> 22:44.840 alliance step up in ways that that that 22:44.850 --> 22:47.720 truly are historic , um and uh and 22:47.720 --> 22:49.887 significant , and I think you're going 22:49.887 --> 22:52.109 to continue to see that going forward . 22:52.109 --> 22:55.170 Um if 22:55.740 --> 22:57.851 the secretary said it best , I mean , 22:58.830 --> 23:01.090 Mr Putin is getting exactly what he 23:01.090 --> 23:03.430 says , he didn't want a strong NATO on 23:03.430 --> 23:05.430 his Western flank , and so without 23:05.430 --> 23:07.860 speaking to Finland specifically . Um 23:08.340 --> 23:12.270 We number one stand up for sovereignty 23:12.640 --> 23:15.840 uh , and the territorial integrity of 23:15.850 --> 23:18.510 independent nation states . Uh , that's 23:18.510 --> 23:21.460 not gonna change . Um , and 23:22.590 --> 23:26.250 Mr Putin , should he want to violate 23:26.260 --> 23:28.570 that in new ways will find new costs . 23:28.570 --> 23:31.170 I'm sure imposed upon him . Number two . 23:31.540 --> 23:33.651 Our commitment to NATO's ironclad and 23:33.651 --> 23:35.762 we're gonna continue to look for ways 23:35.762 --> 23:38.520 to strengthen that . Okay , let me go 23:38.520 --> 23:40.670 to the phone to your Abraham . 23:44.040 --> 23:46.470 Yeah , yeah . Thanks so much for taking 23:46.470 --> 23:49.360 my call , john um , reports indicate 23:49.360 --> 23:51.527 that Kiev could fall in as little as a 23:51.527 --> 23:53.880 day , is the Defense Department doing 23:53.880 --> 23:56.280 anything to prevent Kiev from falling . 23:56.290 --> 23:58.790 And then I have a second question . I 23:58.790 --> 24:00.880 don't have a prediction about what's 24:00.880 --> 24:03.620 going to happen to to Kiev Abraham . 24:03.620 --> 24:07.170 And as I said , we continue two 24:07.940 --> 24:10.320 provide ways for Ukraine to defend 24:10.320 --> 24:12.098 itself , both from a lethal and 24:12.098 --> 24:15.090 nonlethal perspective . Um , and the 24:15.090 --> 24:17.257 other thing I'd say to that is you can 24:17.257 --> 24:19.740 see for yourself , just an open press 24:19.740 --> 24:21.462 reporting what you what you're 24:21.910 --> 24:23.799 colleagues are reporting from the 24:23.799 --> 24:26.280 region that Ukraine is fighting back . 24:26.290 --> 24:28.980 They're defending themselves . And as I 24:28.980 --> 24:32.220 said earlier , to gen uh , we certainly 24:32.220 --> 24:34.640 have seen indications that the Russians 24:34.640 --> 24:38.300 are not in every case making the 24:38.300 --> 24:40.356 progress that they thought they were 24:40.356 --> 24:42.133 gonna make . What's your second 24:42.133 --> 24:45.140 question . Yeah , Thanks on um , any 24:45.140 --> 24:47.440 assessments about what Ukrainian air 24:47.440 --> 24:49.607 defenses remained intact . Thank you . 24:50.140 --> 24:53.470 I'm not going to get into a specific 24:53.470 --> 24:55.470 assessment about Ukrainian military 24:55.470 --> 24:58.340 capabilities . Um , a we don't have 24:58.340 --> 25:00.700 perfect visibility be even if we did , 25:01.240 --> 25:03.351 I don't think putting that out in the 25:03.351 --> 25:06.150 public when they're literally being 25:06.190 --> 25:09.460 attacked by a neighboring state 25:10.040 --> 25:12.460 um is is a smart move for us to make 25:13.040 --> 25:14.770 Dimitri . Thanks , Jeff . 25:17.740 --> 25:19.851 Thanks , john a couple of questions . 25:19.851 --> 25:21.740 The first is whether you have any 25:21.740 --> 25:23.629 updates on the amphibious landing 25:23.629 --> 25:26.960 assault near Mariupol and secondly , 25:26.970 --> 25:29.026 some european intelligence officials 25:29.026 --> 25:30.970 say that actually half of Russia's 25:30.970 --> 25:33.192 combat power that had amassed along the 25:33.192 --> 25:35.720 border has now moved into Ukraine . I 25:35.720 --> 25:37.887 know in the US there was a view that a 25:37.887 --> 25:40.053 third had moved in . Have you seen big 25:40.053 --> 25:43.390 numbers move in today ? We have seen 25:45.740 --> 25:49.430 continued movement by uh Russian forces 25:49.440 --> 25:53.030 into Ukraine , both from the north uh 25:53.040 --> 25:55.262 and from the south , I can't give you a 25:55.262 --> 25:58.140 dmitry um a percentage of what that , 25:58.150 --> 26:00.206 what that looks like we do . I would 26:00.206 --> 26:02.317 just tell you , we don't believe that 26:02.317 --> 26:04.428 the majority of the combat power that 26:04.428 --> 26:07.410 Mr Putin had a raid alongside Ukraine 26:07.420 --> 26:10.370 has been employed inside Ukraine , but 26:10.370 --> 26:12.770 it is fluid . Uh literally the 26:12.770 --> 26:14.714 situation changes by the hour . So 26:14.714 --> 26:16.826 again , I want to be careful that I'm 26:16.826 --> 26:18.492 not getting into providing an 26:18.492 --> 26:20.548 assessment of operations in which we 26:20.548 --> 26:23.430 are not involved . Um and as for the 26:23.430 --> 26:26.160 amphibious assault . Uh we do believe 26:26.160 --> 26:29.260 that such an assault is being conducted 26:29.260 --> 26:31.482 today , but we don't again have perfect 26:31.482 --> 26:35.470 visibility on the progress of that . Uh 26:35.480 --> 26:37.730 and I couldn't give you a blow by blow 26:37.730 --> 26:39.952 of exactly how many they put ashore and 26:39.952 --> 26:41.786 what they're doing . Uh but it's 26:41.786 --> 26:43.730 certainly appears to us to be of a 26:43.730 --> 26:46.660 piece of their , of their designs in 26:46.660 --> 26:49.430 the south uh to to further cut off the 26:49.430 --> 26:53.350 Donbas region and to uh and to uh from 26:53.350 --> 26:56.310 a southern perspective continued to uh 26:56.320 --> 26:58.760 to try to take population centers . 27:00.330 --> 27:00.860 Karun . 27:07.240 --> 27:10.490 Hi Jon , sorry , can you hear me ? Can 27:10.490 --> 27:14.290 you hear me john ? Um okay , 27:14.290 --> 27:16.179 sorry , I just , I was gonna take 27:16.179 --> 27:18.401 myself off news . Um two questions . Um 27:18.401 --> 27:20.512 the first , just , just to clarify on 27:20.512 --> 27:22.457 the numbers thing , I know we were 27:22.457 --> 27:24.512 talking about The 7000 was announced 27:24.512 --> 27:26.568 yesterday , but of the 12,000 , that 27:26.568 --> 27:28.457 kind of approximately that you've 27:28.457 --> 27:30.568 already been sending over to Europe . 27:30.568 --> 27:32.623 How many of those are supposed to be 27:32.623 --> 27:34.790 under the auspices of NATO and and and 27:34.790 --> 27:37.012 these new plans that would go forward . 27:37.012 --> 27:36.940 And then also I understand you're not 27:36.950 --> 27:39.130 talking about where us troops would be 27:39.130 --> 27:41.241 going because those defense plans are 27:41.241 --> 27:43.297 still being worked out the details . 27:43.297 --> 27:45.241 But where do you see the potential 27:45.241 --> 27:47.186 flashpoints maybe still over point 27:47.186 --> 27:49.352 where NATO needs additional help right 27:49.352 --> 27:51.310 now . Um as you're looking at that 27:51.320 --> 27:53.376 sphere of influence , whether or not 27:53.376 --> 27:55.598 that's specifically where US troops end 27:55.598 --> 27:57.320 up going , I wouldn't describe 27:57.320 --> 27:59.487 locations on the eastern flank of NATO 27:59.487 --> 28:03.400 is flash points . Right now , The 28:03.410 --> 28:05.521 Russian military is very much focused 28:05.521 --> 28:08.690 on on Ukraine um and particularly the 28:08.690 --> 28:10.801 eastern half of the country . This is 28:10.801 --> 28:12.912 about reassuring allies and sending a 28:12.912 --> 28:15.134 strong message to Mr Putin that we take 28:15.134 --> 28:17.412 our Article five commitments seriously . 28:17.412 --> 28:19.412 So I would not describe the eastern 28:19.412 --> 28:21.579 flank , NATO territory as flash points 28:21.579 --> 28:23.634 are having their big flash points on 28:23.634 --> 28:27.230 them . Um Most of the 28:27.240 --> 28:29.462 forces that we have either repositioned 28:29.462 --> 28:32.400 inside uh europe or float from the 28:32.400 --> 28:34.511 United States , we've we've done on a 28:34.511 --> 28:36.678 unilateral basis . In fact , all of it 28:36.678 --> 28:38.900 we've done on a unilateral basis . What 28:38.900 --> 28:41.067 I said yesterday , what I tried to say 28:41.067 --> 28:42.789 today was of the 7000 that the 28:42.789 --> 28:44.900 president ordered yesterday . Uh some 28:44.900 --> 28:47.380 of those will will probably be 28:47.380 --> 28:49.500 earmarked for the NATO response force 28:49.940 --> 28:51.870 when we finally hash out the 28:51.870 --> 28:54.092 requirements with the alliance and what 28:54.092 --> 28:55.926 that looks like . And it was the 28:55.926 --> 28:57.870 Secretary of desire uh to get them 28:57.870 --> 28:59.926 moving , get them ready and get them 28:59.926 --> 29:02.037 moving and get them as pre positioned 29:02.037 --> 29:04.940 as possible . So that when we have all 29:04.940 --> 29:07.600 the requirements in place , when actual 29:07.600 --> 29:09.600 deployment orders are given for the 29:09.600 --> 29:11.600 native response force by the by the 29:11.600 --> 29:13.822 alliance , there'll be more ready to do 29:13.822 --> 29:16.670 that . Tara from Defense one 29:18.840 --> 29:22.820 to clarify , is that 7000 of A separate 29:22.830 --> 29:24.886 silo from the 12,000 a day that will 29:24.886 --> 29:26.886 stay unilateral ? Or are we kind of 29:26.886 --> 29:29.100 cross counting numbers and pools of of 29:29.100 --> 29:32.690 US troops with with with Megan it's not 29:32.700 --> 29:35.630 it's not binary . We have . The 29:35.630 --> 29:38.750 secretary has shortened the tether 29:38.770 --> 29:42.690 on roughly 10 to 12,000 . Some of those 29:42.700 --> 29:46.060 10 to 12,000 are 29:46.640 --> 29:48.807 are going to be earmarked for the NATO 29:48.807 --> 29:50.973 response force . Again , it's going to 29:50.973 --> 29:52.973 depend on what the capabilities are 29:52.973 --> 29:55.084 requested and what's the need and and 29:55.084 --> 29:57.307 then we'll go from there . Some of them 29:57.307 --> 29:59.362 he put on prepare to deploy . Orders 29:59.362 --> 30:01.529 are shortened . Tethers simply because 30:01.529 --> 30:01.370 he wanted them available for unilateral 30:01.370 --> 30:04.470 us action . Uh we have to work this out 30:04.470 --> 30:06.581 with with NATO and when we do , we'll 30:06.581 --> 30:08.692 have a better sense of of who's going 30:08.692 --> 30:10.637 where and what they're going to be 30:10.637 --> 30:12.970 earmarked for . It is entirely possible , 30:12.970 --> 30:15.137 for instance that uh units that are in 30:15.137 --> 30:16.859 europe on on unilateral orders 30:16.859 --> 30:19.081 depending on what NATO needs . Could be 30:19.081 --> 30:22.660 uh could be moved off of that and into 30:22.670 --> 30:25.003 into the NATO command structure . Again , 30:25.003 --> 30:27.003 we're still working our way through 30:27.003 --> 30:28.559 that right now . So it's an 30:28.559 --> 30:30.448 unsatisfying answer , but it's an 30:30.448 --> 30:30.370 honest one . We simply don't know what 30:30.370 --> 30:31.981 that breakdown is gonna be . 30:34.440 --> 30:38.270 Um let's see uh tom Squitieri talk news ? 30:39.140 --> 30:41.251 Hi john , good afternoon . Thanks . I 30:41.251 --> 30:43.473 have two questions . Um My first one is 30:43.473 --> 30:45.140 as well as you understand the 30:45.140 --> 30:47.251 pentagon's view on us , Does the NATO 30:47.251 --> 30:49.196 readiness force only apply to NATO 30:49.196 --> 30:51.418 nations or could they go to places like 30:51.418 --> 30:53.307 Sweden Finland or Moldova , these 30:53.307 --> 30:55.990 troops that we have provided uh and 30:55.990 --> 30:57.823 that we will continue to look at 30:57.823 --> 31:00.710 providing are earmarked for NATO 31:00.710 --> 31:04.090 territory paul McLeary politico 31:04.540 --> 31:06.651 john I have two questions . My second 31:06.651 --> 31:08.990 one is um does the pendant is the 31:08.990 --> 31:11.046 pentagon considering pulling out the 31:11.046 --> 31:13.268 National Guard trainers that are now in 31:13.268 --> 31:15.268 Moldova . I know of no such plans , 31:16.040 --> 31:18.660 paul McLeary . Hi john I'm on the line 31:18.660 --> 31:21.040 still waiting . Um If I could get my 31:21.040 --> 31:24.930 question , Tara , thank you . Um how 31:24.930 --> 31:27.640 concerned is the building that this 31:27.640 --> 31:29.751 conflict could potentially spill over 31:29.751 --> 31:32.220 to the eastern flank countries ? Putin 31:32.220 --> 31:34.387 has not been completely clear what his 31:34.387 --> 31:36.553 intent is and whether his intent maybe 31:36.553 --> 31:39.210 extends beyond Ukraine . Just wondering 31:39.210 --> 31:41.210 if in any of the conversations with 31:41.210 --> 31:43.266 counterparts with Russia , have they 31:43.266 --> 31:45.432 clearly communicated that their intent 31:45.432 --> 31:48.290 stops at Ukraine ? It is you said it 31:48.290 --> 31:50.346 actually in your question , it's not 31:50.346 --> 31:53.560 entirely clear if Mr Putin has designs 31:53.560 --> 31:57.170 beyond Ukraine . Um and it's because 31:57.640 --> 32:00.250 that's not perfectly clear that we 32:00.250 --> 32:02.480 continue to look for ways to bolster 32:02.480 --> 32:04.900 our NATO capabilities and to reassure 32:04.900 --> 32:07.110 our allies . I mean uh one of the 32:07.110 --> 32:10.070 reasons we're doing this is because we 32:10.070 --> 32:13.460 want to make it clear to him that 32:13.940 --> 32:15.829 we will defend every inch of NATO 32:15.829 --> 32:19.280 territory ? Um I'm sorry paul , Go 32:19.280 --> 32:22.170 ahead , john just one follow up , is 32:22.170 --> 32:24.337 there any concern that this could grow 32:24.337 --> 32:26.720 into a regional war ? I think there's 32:26.720 --> 32:30.280 no reason for it to be a war . Now Tara 32:30.300 --> 32:32.660 and there it shouldn't have been Mr 32:32.660 --> 32:34.660 Putin had diplomatic options on the 32:34.660 --> 32:36.716 table that he decided to ignore . Uh 32:36.716 --> 32:39.250 and to evade and to invade Ukraine 32:39.250 --> 32:41.194 regardless . So there should be no 32:41.194 --> 32:43.306 reason why there's a war now there is 32:43.306 --> 32:46.230 obviously one . Uh clearly that's 32:46.230 --> 32:49.070 evident were we need to make sure and 32:49.070 --> 32:52.540 we will make sure um that it's very 32:52.540 --> 32:54.880 clear that we're going to defend every 32:54.880 --> 32:56.824 inch of NATO territory . I I'm not 32:56.824 --> 32:58.713 going to speculate about what the 32:58.713 --> 33:00.436 future holds because it is not 33:00.436 --> 33:03.240 perfectly clear uh where Mr Putin is 33:03.240 --> 33:05.720 going here . We want to make it clear 33:06.600 --> 33:10.410 that he will not be 33:10.410 --> 33:12.710 able to to to threaten in any tangible 33:12.710 --> 33:16.680 way . Our NATO allies . Okay , 33:16.680 --> 33:19.060 paul , Let's try it again . Alright , 33:19.070 --> 33:22.480 3rd Time's The Charm . Thanks . And you 33:22.480 --> 33:24.647 said we're going to continue to supply 33:24.647 --> 33:26.720 defensive weapons to Ukraine . Are 33:26.720 --> 33:28.720 there is there any consideration of 33:28.720 --> 33:30.776 training Ukrainian troops outside of 33:30.776 --> 33:33.600 the country um for them to then go back 33:33.600 --> 33:36.110 in and fight ? I think we're looking at 33:36.120 --> 33:38.342 all kinds of different ways to continue 33:38.342 --> 33:41.090 supporting Ukrainian armed forces . Uh 33:41.090 --> 33:43.201 and we're not taking anything off the 33:43.201 --> 33:45.790 table with respect to how that how that 33:45.790 --> 33:47.901 might manifest itself going forward . 33:47.901 --> 33:49.790 And that could include that could 33:49.790 --> 33:51.123 include some training . 33:54.340 --> 33:56.118 You have addressed the issue of 33:56.118 --> 33:58.340 supporting the Ukrainian forces several 33:58.340 --> 34:00.673 times now , looking into different ways , 34:01.340 --> 34:04.970 which would my leaders to include that . 34:04.980 --> 34:06.910 Your assessment is that Ukrainian 34:06.910 --> 34:09.450 forces can actually resist for a long 34:09.450 --> 34:11.660 time . Is that the assessment to be 34:11.660 --> 34:14.300 able actually to get that assistant in 34:14.300 --> 34:16.910 various ways in lethal and nonlethal . 34:16.910 --> 34:18.966 I'm not going to put a time stamp on 34:18.966 --> 34:21.188 this . Funny . I mean , but you can see 34:21.188 --> 34:23.188 you can see for yourselves that the 34:23.188 --> 34:23.040 Ukrainians are fighting back , they're 34:23.040 --> 34:25.207 defending their country . So you don't 34:25.207 --> 34:28.900 think that time is running in a way 34:28.900 --> 34:31.540 that it might be too late to provide 34:31.550 --> 34:33.980 any type of assistance . We have been 34:33.980 --> 34:35.980 providing assistance for quite some 34:35.980 --> 34:37.869 time . We're going to continue to 34:37.869 --> 34:40.091 provide assistance And they're fighting 34:40.091 --> 34:42.147 back . They're fighting back in many 34:42.147 --> 34:44.091 ways using the assistance that the 34:44.091 --> 34:46.202 United States has provided as well as 34:46.202 --> 34:48.258 other nations . So they're using the 34:48.258 --> 34:50.036 assistance . You can see it for 34:50.036 --> 34:52.091 yourself . I'm I'm not going to tell 34:52.091 --> 34:54.313 you what weapons systems they're firing 34:54.313 --> 34:56.536 on what day and what location . I don't 34:56.536 --> 34:58.647 have that level of fidelity . But you 34:58.647 --> 35:00.813 don't need me to tell you that you can 35:00.813 --> 35:02.869 see it for yourself in the imagery . 35:02.869 --> 35:06.650 They're fighting back . Yeah . Um I 35:06.660 --> 35:09.170 think that's it for today . Thanks very 35:09.170 --> 35:10.781 much . Have a good weekend . 35:26.840 --> 35:27.840 Mhm . 35:31.840 --> 35:32.230 Yeah . 35:41.640 --> 35:43.580 Mm hmm , mm hmm , 35:47.740 --> 35:51.630 mm hmm . Right . Mm 35:51.630 --> 35:52.630 hmm , 35:58.940 --> 36:01.100 mm hmm mm hmm . 36:10.330 --> 36:11.450 Mhm . Yeah . 36:19.630 --> 36:20.630 Yeah . 36:26.930 --> 36:30.520 Mm hmm . Mhm , mm 36:30.520 --> 36:32.040 hmm . Mhm . 36:34.930 --> 36:38.040 Thank you . Right . 36:40.630 --> 36:41.630 Yeah . 36:52.030 --> 36:55.280 Mm hmm . Yeah . 36:56.230 --> 37:00.150 Yeah . Yeah . Yeah . 37:01.330 --> 37:01.740 Yeah . 37:08.930 --> 37:09.340 Yeah . 37:18.800 --> 37:19.160 No . 37:26.330 --> 37:28.030 Yeah . Mhm . Yeah . 37:30.830 --> 37:31.040 Right .