1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,360 afternoon everybody , I do apologize 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,340 for the several delays . It's 3 00:00:07,340 --> 00:00:09,062 just been that kind of a day , 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,662 a couple of things at the top and we'll 5 00:00:14,940 --> 00:00:16,607 we'll get to your questions . 6 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:19,180 So 7 00:00:21,540 --> 00:00:24,660 first and foremost , 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:27,830 I want to read out for you that 9 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,140 Secretary Austin spoke with his polish 10 00:00:30,140 --> 00:00:33,000 counterpart this morning to discuss 11 00:00:33,540 --> 00:00:35,429 Russia's unprovoked aggression in 12 00:00:35,429 --> 00:00:38,060 Ukraine . He thanked Minister blast 13 00:00:38,060 --> 00:00:39,960 shock for Poland's extraordinary 14 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,793 support of U . S . Troops in the 15 00:00:41,793 --> 00:00:44,016 country , including those who have been 16 00:00:44,016 --> 00:00:46,349 recently sent there on temporary orders . 17 00:00:46,349 --> 00:00:48,071 He noted the hard work and the 18 00:00:48,071 --> 00:00:50,071 diligence with which The polls have 19 00:00:50,071 --> 00:00:51,960 been welcoming and taking care of 20 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,127 Ukrainians who continue to flee across 21 00:00:54,127 --> 00:00:56,349 their border . Some 1.2 million . Now , 22 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,262 Secretary also made clear how much he's 23 00:00:59,262 --> 00:01:01,450 looking forward to attending in person 24 00:01:01,900 --> 00:01:04,540 next week's NATO defense ministerial in 25 00:01:04,540 --> 00:01:07,670 brussels . Now , the Secretary also had 26 00:01:07,670 --> 00:01:09,892 a chance to discuss with minister blast 27 00:01:09,892 --> 00:01:12,910 shock . The proposal to send MiG 2029 28 00:01:12,910 --> 00:01:15,350 fighter aircraft to Ukraine and 29 00:01:15,350 --> 00:01:17,850 specifically the notion of doing so by 30 00:01:17,850 --> 00:01:19,906 way of transfer to U . S . Custody . 31 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,250 Secretary Austin thank them . The 32 00:01:23,250 --> 00:01:25,540 Minister for Poland's willingness to 33 00:01:25,540 --> 00:01:27,840 continue to look for ways to assist 34 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,960 Ukraine . But he stressed that we do 35 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:32,127 not support the transfer of additional 36 00:01:32,127 --> 00:01:34,238 fighter aircraft to the Ukrainian air 37 00:01:34,238 --> 00:01:36,349 force at this time and therefore have 38 00:01:36,349 --> 00:01:38,404 no desire to see them in our custody 39 00:01:38,540 --> 00:01:41,000 either Let me walk you through the 40 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,710 reasons for this first , we believe the 41 00:01:44,710 --> 00:01:46,877 best way to support Ukrainian defenses 42 00:01:46,877 --> 00:01:48,988 by providing them the weapons and the 43 00:01:48,988 --> 00:01:51,099 systems that they need most to defeat 44 00:01:51,099 --> 00:01:53,610 Russian aggression in particular , anti 45 00:01:53,610 --> 00:01:55,810 armor , an air defense . 46 00:01:57,630 --> 00:01:59,852 We along with other nations continue to 47 00:01:59,852 --> 00:02:01,852 send them these weapons and we know 48 00:02:01,852 --> 00:02:03,852 that they are being used with great 49 00:02:03,852 --> 00:02:06,019 effect . The slowed Russian advance in 50 00:02:06,019 --> 00:02:08,074 the north and the contested airspace 51 00:02:08,074 --> 00:02:10,352 over Ukraine is evidence alone of that . 52 00:02:11,340 --> 00:02:13,451 Although Russian air capabilities are 53 00:02:13,451 --> 00:02:15,580 significant , their effectiveness has 54 00:02:15,580 --> 00:02:18,260 been limited due to Ukrainian strategic 55 00:02:18,270 --> 00:02:20,530 operational and tactical ground based 56 00:02:20,540 --> 00:02:22,840 air defense systems , surface to air 57 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,260 missiles and manpads . Secondly , 58 00:02:26,780 --> 00:02:28,891 the Ukrainian Air Force currently has 59 00:02:28,891 --> 00:02:30,836 several squadrons of fully mission 60 00:02:30,836 --> 00:02:32,724 capable aircraft . We assess that 61 00:02:32,724 --> 00:02:34,558 adding aircraft to the Ukrainian 62 00:02:34,558 --> 00:02:36,058 inventory is not likely to 63 00:02:36,058 --> 00:02:38,224 significantly change the effectiveness 64 00:02:38,500 --> 00:02:41,120 of the Ukrainian Air Force relative two 65 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,610 Russian capabilities . Therefore , we 66 00:02:43,610 --> 00:02:45,832 believe that the gain from transferring 67 00:02:45,832 --> 00:02:49,360 those MiG 20 nine's is low . And 68 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,416 finally , The intelligence community 69 00:02:51,416 --> 00:02:53,638 has assessed the transfer of MiG 29s to 70 00:02:53,638 --> 00:02:56,060 Ukraine may be mistaken as escalatory 71 00:02:56,540 --> 00:02:58,762 and could result in significant Russian 72 00:02:58,762 --> 00:03:00,596 reaction that might increase the 73 00:03:00,596 --> 00:03:02,818 prospects of a military escalation with 74 00:03:02,818 --> 00:03:05,810 NATO . Therefore , We also assessed the 75 00:03:05,810 --> 00:03:07,921 transfer of the MiG 29s to Ukraine to 76 00:03:07,921 --> 00:03:11,050 be high risk And we are grateful for 77 00:03:11,050 --> 00:03:13,161 the superb support and cooperation of 78 00:03:13,161 --> 00:03:15,328 our Polish allies who continue to host 79 00:03:15,328 --> 00:03:17,328 thousands of our troops and who are 80 00:03:17,328 --> 00:03:19,494 welcoming more . As I said , more than 81 00:03:19,494 --> 00:03:22,110 one million Ukrainian refugees polish 82 00:03:22,110 --> 00:03:24,420 generosity is clearly on display for 83 00:03:24,420 --> 00:03:27,110 the whole world to see . But at this 84 00:03:27,110 --> 00:03:29,390 time we believe the provision of 85 00:03:29,390 --> 00:03:31,446 additional fighter aircraft provides 86 00:03:31,446 --> 00:03:34,100 little increased capabilities at high 87 00:03:34,100 --> 00:03:37,560 risk . We also believe that there are 88 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:39,449 alternative options that are much 89 00:03:39,449 --> 00:03:41,616 better suited to support the Ukrainian 90 00:03:41,616 --> 00:03:43,782 military in their fight against Russia 91 00:03:43,782 --> 00:03:45,838 and we will continue to pursue those 92 00:03:45,838 --> 00:03:48,060 options . Again , we thanked Poland for 93 00:03:48,060 --> 00:03:50,171 their incredible level of support and 94 00:03:50,171 --> 00:03:52,282 cooperation . Poland is a valued ally 95 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:54,530 and a very good friend . We look 96 00:03:54,530 --> 00:03:56,530 forward to exploring ways to deepen 97 00:03:56,530 --> 00:03:58,530 that partnership . In this critical 98 00:03:58,530 --> 00:04:00,530 moment . We also know the Ukrainian 99 00:04:00,530 --> 00:04:02,640 armed forces as well as average 100 00:04:02,650 --> 00:04:05,420 Ukrainian citizens are defending their 101 00:04:05,420 --> 00:04:07,660 country with great skill and bravery . 102 00:04:08,340 --> 00:04:10,396 We will continue to look for ways to 103 00:04:10,396 --> 00:04:12,396 help them do that knowing full well 104 00:04:12,630 --> 00:04:15,440 that that effort is in no way made more 105 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:18,410 effective or less harmful to the 106 00:04:18,410 --> 00:04:20,710 Ukrainian people . By steps we take or 107 00:04:20,710 --> 00:04:23,480 decisions we make , which lead to an 108 00:04:23,490 --> 00:04:25,960 escalation of that conflict . 109 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,607 And White added just before coming out 110 00:04:29,607 --> 00:04:31,829 here , the secretary wrapped up a phone 111 00:04:31,829 --> 00:04:33,607 call with the Ukrainian Defense 112 00:04:33,607 --> 00:04:36,300 Minister Minister Reznikoff as one of 113 00:04:36,300 --> 00:04:38,133 his ongoing series of calls with 114 00:04:38,133 --> 00:04:40,390 counterparts will have a more detailed 115 00:04:40,390 --> 00:04:42,501 readout of that call later . The call 116 00:04:42,501 --> 00:04:44,723 really just concluded . So I don't have 117 00:04:44,723 --> 00:04:46,946 much context to provide for you there . 118 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:49,351 Now , on another note , approximately 119 00:04:49,351 --> 00:04:51,910 3000 us marines will join some 30,000 120 00:04:51,910 --> 00:04:54,700 military forces from 27 NATO ally and 121 00:04:54,700 --> 00:04:57,140 partner nations for the Norwegian led 122 00:04:57,140 --> 00:04:59,480 exercise . Cold response which kicks 123 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:02,570 off monday the 14th of March . This is 124 00:05:02,570 --> 00:05:04,626 the 9th generation iteration of this 125 00:05:04,626 --> 00:05:06,570 multi domain domain . Extreme cold 126 00:05:06,570 --> 00:05:08,770 weather exercise designed to enhance 127 00:05:08,770 --> 00:05:10,992 our collective military capabilities in 128 00:05:10,992 --> 00:05:13,380 the demanding arctic environment . This 129 00:05:13,380 --> 00:05:15,213 exercise will emphasize and test 130 00:05:15,213 --> 00:05:17,269 critical activities ranging from the 131 00:05:17,269 --> 00:05:19,047 reception of reinforcements and 132 00:05:19,047 --> 00:05:21,102 interoperable command and control to 133 00:05:21,102 --> 00:05:23,213 combined joint operations in a highly 134 00:05:23,213 --> 00:05:25,500 intense combat environment . In total , 135 00:05:25,660 --> 00:05:27,920 approximately 220 aircraft and more 136 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:29,920 than 50 ships will take part in the 137 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:31,698 exercise . U . S . Forces began 138 00:05:31,698 --> 00:05:34,310 training in Norway in december as U . S . 139 00:05:34,310 --> 00:05:36,310 Marine units conducted cold weather 140 00:05:36,310 --> 00:05:38,477 training and planning . In the lead up 141 00:05:38,477 --> 00:05:40,270 to this exercise , two marine 142 00:05:40,270 --> 00:05:42,640 expeditionary force will be the largest 143 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:44,696 american military unit participating 144 00:05:44,696 --> 00:05:46,973 this year . Some 200 military vehicles , 145 00:05:46,973 --> 00:05:49,084 attack and assault support , aircraft 146 00:05:49,084 --> 00:05:51,196 and equipment . Departed camp Lejeune 147 00:05:51,196 --> 00:05:53,490 north Carolina in january as part of 148 00:05:53,490 --> 00:05:55,950 that unit's participation . Uh and 149 00:05:55,950 --> 00:05:58,260 again we we look forward to a terrific 150 00:05:58,260 --> 00:06:00,810 exercise , cold response and uh the 151 00:06:00,810 --> 00:06:03,130 exercise will be running through April 152 00:06:03,130 --> 00:06:04,852 one and will that will get the 153 00:06:04,852 --> 00:06:06,852 questions Bob . Thank you john . Um 154 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,560 with regard to the polish proposal on 155 00:06:10,570 --> 00:06:13,710 on the big transfers . Uh would it be 156 00:06:13,710 --> 00:06:16,260 correct to say that you just close the 157 00:06:16,270 --> 00:06:19,330 door on this transfer , whether it's 158 00:06:19,330 --> 00:06:21,740 done through the United States or 159 00:06:21,740 --> 00:06:24,420 through any other NATO country ? And 160 00:06:24,420 --> 00:06:27,410 secondly , separately , but related you 161 00:06:27,420 --> 00:06:29,620 referenced alternative options that 162 00:06:29,620 --> 00:06:31,910 you're looking at ? Can you explain 163 00:06:31,910 --> 00:06:35,170 what that is ? Alternative options are 164 00:06:35,320 --> 00:06:39,100 working with other allies and partner 165 00:06:39,100 --> 00:06:41,710 nations around the world who may have 166 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:46,200 additional air defense capabilities and 167 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,630 systems at their disposal who might be 168 00:06:48,630 --> 00:06:51,510 willing to provide them to Ukraine . Um 169 00:06:51,510 --> 00:06:53,566 And so we're having discussions with 170 00:06:53,566 --> 00:06:56,940 many countries right now about um some 171 00:06:56,940 --> 00:06:58,884 of those capabilities surfaced air 172 00:06:58,884 --> 00:07:00,718 missiles for instance , that the 173 00:07:00,718 --> 00:07:02,773 Ukrainians are more trained and more 174 00:07:02,773 --> 00:07:06,080 equipped to , to , to operate . Um 175 00:07:06,090 --> 00:07:09,630 so it could include additional manpads 176 00:07:09,630 --> 00:07:12,590 as well . Um and certainly anti anti 177 00:07:12,590 --> 00:07:16,550 tank , uh anti armor , excuse me , um , 178 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,540 system . So we're gonna continue to 179 00:07:19,550 --> 00:07:21,494 talk to the Ukrainians about their 180 00:07:21,494 --> 00:07:23,661 needs . Um and we're gonna continue to 181 00:07:23,661 --> 00:07:25,772 talk to allies and partners about how 182 00:07:25,772 --> 00:07:27,994 to best fill those needs . But it's our 183 00:07:27,994 --> 00:07:29,939 assessment right now , for all the 184 00:07:29,939 --> 00:07:32,050 reasons that I gave you , that , that 185 00:07:32,050 --> 00:07:34,272 we don't believe additional aircraft is 186 00:07:34,272 --> 00:07:36,328 uh , is the most effective answer to 187 00:07:36,328 --> 00:07:38,439 meeting those needs in the conflict . 188 00:07:38,439 --> 00:07:40,661 Now look , sovereign nations can decide 189 00:07:40,661 --> 00:07:42,772 for themselves what they want to do , 190 00:07:42,772 --> 00:07:44,939 but but this idea , the proposal of of 191 00:07:44,939 --> 00:07:47,280 transferring these jets to our custody 192 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:49,502 then for then transferring to Ukraine , 193 00:07:49,502 --> 00:07:51,558 um That is something that we are not 194 00:07:51,558 --> 00:07:54,540 going to explore right now . Are you 195 00:07:54,540 --> 00:07:56,890 talking about providing s 300 missile 196 00:07:56,890 --> 00:07:59,057 defense systems ? I'd rather stay away 197 00:07:59,057 --> 00:08:01,112 from the actual systems themselves , 198 00:08:01,112 --> 00:08:03,279 jen we're going to continue to look at 199 00:08:03,279 --> 00:08:06,030 a broad swath of of capabilities that 200 00:08:06,030 --> 00:08:09,090 the Ukrainians could use effectively . 201 00:08:09,230 --> 00:08:11,452 Some of them they already are and maybe 202 00:08:11,452 --> 00:08:13,674 they need replacements . Um and but I'm 203 00:08:13,674 --> 00:08:15,508 not going to get into individual 204 00:08:15,508 --> 00:08:15,480 systems . And what's the difference in 205 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,130 providing javelins and stingers to the 206 00:08:18,130 --> 00:08:21,400 Ukrainians versus MIgs or fighter jets ? 207 00:08:21,410 --> 00:08:23,650 Why is that more provocative from an 208 00:08:23,650 --> 00:08:25,817 intelligence perspective ? Why is that 209 00:08:25,817 --> 00:08:27,983 seen as more productive Vocativ ? Um , 210 00:08:27,983 --> 00:08:30,039 it seems like you're splitting hairs 211 00:08:30,039 --> 00:08:30,000 there ? No , there's no splitting hairs , 212 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,167 jen . I think we we take seriously the 213 00:08:32,167 --> 00:08:34,333 intelligence community's assessments , 214 00:08:34,333 --> 00:08:36,420 um , and their views based on the 215 00:08:36,420 --> 00:08:38,480 information that uh , that they have 216 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:40,702 available to them . Um , and it's their 217 00:08:40,702 --> 00:08:42,924 assessment , one in which the Secretary 218 00:08:42,924 --> 00:08:45,900 uh , concurs that uh , that the 219 00:08:45,900 --> 00:08:48,011 transfer of combat aircraft right now 220 00:08:48,011 --> 00:08:50,330 could be mistaken . Bye Mr Putin and 221 00:08:50,330 --> 00:08:52,386 the Russians as an escalatory step . 222 00:08:52,386 --> 00:08:54,386 And as I said at the very end of my 223 00:08:54,386 --> 00:08:56,274 opening statement , we need to be 224 00:08:56,274 --> 00:08:58,441 careful about every decision we make , 225 00:08:58,441 --> 00:09:02,310 um , that that we aren't making the 226 00:09:02,310 --> 00:09:05,090 potential for escalation worse because 227 00:09:05,100 --> 00:09:07,450 that's not only not good for NATO , and 228 00:09:07,450 --> 00:09:09,561 it's not only not good for the United 229 00:09:09,561 --> 00:09:11,506 States and our national security . 230 00:09:11,506 --> 00:09:13,750 Should this conflict escalate even 231 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:15,927 further , but it's certainly not gonna 232 00:09:15,927 --> 00:09:18,038 be good for the Ukrainian people uh , 233 00:09:18,038 --> 00:09:21,270 to have what is already a destructive 234 00:09:21,270 --> 00:09:23,103 and terrible war , get even more 235 00:09:23,103 --> 00:09:25,326 destructive and terrible given the fact 236 00:09:25,326 --> 00:09:28,270 that that Mr Mr Putin has other 237 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,660 capabilities at his disposal . 238 00:09:32,050 --> 00:09:34,383 Thank you , John , I have two questions . 239 00:09:34,383 --> 00:09:36,606 So the first one is on this whole issue 240 00:09:36,606 --> 00:09:40,580 of 29 as you know , this , The 241 00:09:40,580 --> 00:09:42,358 prospect of delivering May 29 , 242 00:09:42,380 --> 00:09:44,602 Ukrainians what was raised by President 243 00:09:44,602 --> 00:09:47,490 Zelensky and based on the assessment 244 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:49,611 that you just told us this is not the 245 00:09:49,611 --> 00:09:51,880 most effective way ? Are the Ukrainians 246 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,190 now on board with this assessment or 247 00:09:54,190 --> 00:09:56,301 they're still insisting that have you 248 00:09:56,301 --> 00:09:58,023 been in communication with the 249 00:09:58,023 --> 00:10:00,246 Ukrainians on on this issue ? Exactly . 250 00:10:00,246 --> 00:10:02,468 I just told you that the secretary just 251 00:10:02,468 --> 00:10:04,301 finished up a call with Minister 252 00:10:04,301 --> 00:10:06,468 Reznikoff . I don't have a readout for 253 00:10:06,468 --> 00:10:08,301 you right now . It literally was 254 00:10:08,301 --> 00:10:10,412 finishing up as I was walking here to 255 00:10:10,412 --> 00:10:12,468 the podium . So we'll have a readout 256 00:10:12,468 --> 00:10:14,579 for you . Um , I doubt seriously that 257 00:10:14,579 --> 00:10:16,690 that readout is going to uh , ascribe 258 00:10:16,690 --> 00:10:19,510 the the sentiments of the Ukrainians 259 00:10:19,510 --> 00:10:21,566 that is for them to speak to . And I 260 00:10:21,566 --> 00:10:23,399 will obviously , we defer to the 261 00:10:23,399 --> 00:10:25,620 Ukrainian government to to to to speak 262 00:10:25,620 --> 00:10:27,730 to this on their own . And on this 263 00:10:27,740 --> 00:10:31,400 issue of um , military 264 00:10:31,410 --> 00:10:34,520 biological , um , labs in Ukraine that 265 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:38,070 the Russians keep raising . Can you 266 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,330 basically explain to us what type of 267 00:10:40,330 --> 00:10:42,219 relationship , if any , there was 268 00:10:42,219 --> 00:10:44,386 between the Pentagon and the Ukrainian 269 00:10:44,386 --> 00:10:47,170 side on any biological labs ? When was 270 00:10:47,170 --> 00:10:49,337 the last cooperation ? And what do you 271 00:10:49,337 --> 00:10:51,114 have to say about these Russian 272 00:10:51,114 --> 00:10:53,720 accusations ? The Russian accusations 273 00:10:53,730 --> 00:10:56,550 are absurd . They're laughable . 274 00:10:57,130 --> 00:11:01,090 And , you know , in the words of my 275 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,460 irish catholic grandfather , a bunch of 276 00:11:04,460 --> 00:11:07,040 malarkey , there's nothing to it it's 277 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,096 classic Russian Russian propaganda . 278 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,260 And , uh , and I wouldn't if I were you , 279 00:11:12,260 --> 00:11:15,460 I wouldn't give it I wouldn't give it a 280 00:11:15,460 --> 00:11:17,182 drop of ink worth worth paying 281 00:11:17,182 --> 00:11:20,050 attention to ? But can you explain to 282 00:11:20,050 --> 00:11:22,272 us what has there been any relationship 283 00:11:22,272 --> 00:11:25,780 between them not developing 284 00:11:25,780 --> 00:11:28,840 biological or chemical weapons inside 285 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,540 Ukraine ? It's not happening ? Yeah , 286 00:11:32,300 --> 00:11:34,470 Go ahead . Go ahead . Concerned that 287 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,591 Russia is actually doing this because 288 00:11:36,591 --> 00:11:38,369 they're planning some sort of a 289 00:11:38,369 --> 00:11:40,480 biological of course I mean again not 290 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:42,702 being perfectly inside the minds of the 291 00:11:42,702 --> 00:11:44,758 Russians , we have seen one of their 292 00:11:44,758 --> 00:11:47,100 playbooks is to accuse the other uh 293 00:11:47,110 --> 00:11:49,110 that what you are doing or what you 294 00:11:49,110 --> 00:11:52,480 plan to do and to create uh uh to 295 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,980 create a narrative that victimhood and 296 00:11:54,980 --> 00:11:56,813 uh and blaming somebody else for 297 00:11:56,813 --> 00:11:58,980 something that you're in fact going to 298 00:11:58,980 --> 00:12:01,091 do . I have no evidence of that . I'm 299 00:12:01,091 --> 00:12:02,980 not suggesting that that's in the 300 00:12:02,980 --> 00:12:04,758 offing right now . Um I have no 301 00:12:04,758 --> 00:12:07,210 intelligence and indicators that uh 302 00:12:07,220 --> 00:12:09,053 that that type of weaponry is in 303 00:12:09,053 --> 00:12:11,220 Ukraine and being planned to be used . 304 00:12:11,220 --> 00:12:13,276 So I want to be clear but it is of a 305 00:12:13,276 --> 00:12:15,442 piece of the Russian playbook to blame 306 00:12:15,442 --> 00:12:17,609 others for that which you are about to 307 00:12:17,609 --> 00:12:19,720 do or you're you're considering doing 308 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,720 that . We've done they've done that 309 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:21,360 plenty of times before . And then on 310 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,416 intelligence since you you said that 311 00:12:23,416 --> 00:12:25,582 the U . S . Intelligence assessment is 312 00:12:25,582 --> 00:12:27,582 that the transferring of the combat 313 00:12:27,582 --> 00:12:29,804 aircraft was considered high risk . Was 314 00:12:29,804 --> 00:12:31,749 there ? What was the assessment of 315 00:12:31,749 --> 00:12:33,971 transferring Javelins and Stingers ? Is 316 00:12:33,971 --> 00:12:35,971 there was it also high risk but the 317 00:12:35,971 --> 00:12:37,638 decision the calculus was the 318 00:12:37,638 --> 00:12:39,582 Ukrainians needed them . So it was 319 00:12:39,582 --> 00:12:41,749 worth it without getting into specific 320 00:12:41,749 --> 00:12:45,620 inventory issues . The short answer to 321 00:12:45,620 --> 00:12:48,630 your question is yes . I mean as we as 322 00:12:48,630 --> 00:12:50,463 we make the decisions to provide 323 00:12:50,463 --> 00:12:53,400 support uh from the very beginning even 324 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,910 before the invasion , but certainly 325 00:12:55,910 --> 00:12:58,800 since um we go through that calculus 326 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:00,800 and to make sure that we are giving 327 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,300 them what we believe um can be best 328 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:06,522 suited to their needs . And we see that 329 00:13:06,522 --> 00:13:08,744 they're using , I mean they're using it 330 00:13:08,744 --> 00:13:11,140 with great effect . Um but but also 331 00:13:11,140 --> 00:13:13,760 keeping in mind as we must , the 332 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,927 potential escalation of the conflict . 333 00:13:15,927 --> 00:13:18,290 So it's a calculation we do routinely 334 00:13:18,490 --> 00:13:20,760 accurately every day . So it's not 335 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,230 uncommon . The stingers , the javelins 336 00:13:23,230 --> 00:13:26,110 or let's say anti armor , anti air 337 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:28,120 equipment that the U . S . Has been 338 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,287 providing to them . Some of those have 339 00:13:30,287 --> 00:13:32,287 been considered high risk . But the 340 00:13:32,287 --> 00:13:33,953 calculus is I wouldn't say uh 341 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,580 everything that we're sending we 342 00:13:36,580 --> 00:13:39,730 consider to be high risk . Um and 343 00:13:39,740 --> 00:13:41,740 without characterizing something as 344 00:13:41,740 --> 00:13:44,120 high or low risk and in particular on 345 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,342 the the other inventory items , I would 346 00:13:46,342 --> 00:13:48,453 just tell you that we go through that 347 00:13:48,453 --> 00:13:50,720 calculus with every shipment that we 348 00:13:50,730 --> 00:13:52,952 that we send , what what is best needed 349 00:13:52,952 --> 00:13:55,119 to the to the fight . And uh with with 350 00:13:55,119 --> 00:13:57,340 a mind that uh that that we obviously 351 00:13:57,340 --> 00:14:00,600 don't want to needlessly or heedlessly 352 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,080 escalate the conflict to a level where 353 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:04,913 it's actually more dangerous for 354 00:14:04,913 --> 00:14:07,860 Ukraine , not not less . Okay , 355 00:14:09,260 --> 00:14:11,490 Um the soldiers who were deployed to 356 00:14:11,490 --> 00:14:13,690 Poland 82nd , they've been helping 357 00:14:13,690 --> 00:14:15,690 small numbers of Americans who have 358 00:14:15,690 --> 00:14:17,634 been coming across the border from 359 00:14:17,634 --> 00:14:19,746 Ukraine and you mentioned the massive 360 00:14:19,746 --> 00:14:21,579 refugee flow coming in now , I'm 361 00:14:21,579 --> 00:14:24,070 wondering if their mission um if it has 362 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,090 or if you're looking at potentially 363 00:14:26,090 --> 00:14:28,550 expanding that to a wider humanitarian 364 00:14:28,550 --> 00:14:30,606 mission . And is that something that 365 00:14:30,606 --> 00:14:32,939 maybe you've discussed with with Poland ? 366 00:14:33,020 --> 00:14:34,631 There hasn't been any active 367 00:14:34,631 --> 00:14:36,853 discussions of expanding their missions 368 00:14:36,853 --> 00:14:38,576 to something wider in terms of 369 00:14:38,576 --> 00:14:42,360 humanitarian assistance . But 370 00:14:44,740 --> 00:14:47,090 I can assure you that the secretary 371 00:14:47,090 --> 00:14:49,090 will want us to be as responsive as 372 00:14:49,090 --> 00:14:51,201 possible . Should there be a need for 373 00:14:51,201 --> 00:14:53,700 that ? But we're we're not tracking A 374 00:14:53,710 --> 00:14:55,821 request to expand the mission set for 375 00:14:55,821 --> 00:14:58,110 the 82nd right now . They certainly 376 00:14:58,110 --> 00:15:00,221 have that capability . Should they be 377 00:15:00,221 --> 00:15:02,443 needed ? And we certainly would want to 378 00:15:02,443 --> 00:15:04,666 pitch in and help . Uh but but we're in 379 00:15:04,666 --> 00:15:06,499 constant discussions with polish 380 00:15:06,499 --> 00:15:08,332 authorities as well as the State 381 00:15:08,332 --> 00:15:10,443 Department . And again , should there 382 00:15:10,443 --> 00:15:12,666 be a need for that ? Um you can bet the 383 00:15:12,666 --> 00:15:14,777 United States military will will chip 384 00:15:14,777 --> 00:15:18,150 in and help . And I would add . Um 385 00:15:19,340 --> 00:15:21,451 and I don't want this to at all sound 386 00:15:21,451 --> 00:15:23,507 gratuitous , but the polls have been 387 00:15:23,507 --> 00:15:25,790 doing an amazing job um harboring 388 00:15:25,790 --> 00:15:28,610 welcoming and taking care of now more 389 00:15:28,610 --> 00:15:31,410 than a million Ukrainians that that 390 00:15:31,410 --> 00:15:33,354 have fled across that border . And 391 00:15:33,354 --> 00:15:35,577 that's That's only I guess by the U.N . 392 00:15:35,577 --> 00:15:37,743 estimates about half of the total that 393 00:15:37,743 --> 00:15:39,966 have left the country . But the but the 394 00:15:39,966 --> 00:15:42,188 Polish government and the Polish people 395 00:15:42,188 --> 00:15:44,410 have just been superb , just absolutely 396 00:15:44,410 --> 00:15:46,577 spectacular . And again , if they need 397 00:15:46,577 --> 00:15:48,799 our help in that regard . Certainly the 398 00:15:48,799 --> 00:15:47,930 United States military would be 399 00:15:47,930 --> 00:15:49,986 positively disposed to look at those 400 00:15:49,986 --> 00:15:52,360 requests . Thank you . Since we're 401 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,193 talking about Poland , a defense 402 00:15:54,193 --> 00:15:56,360 official said that Russia had launched 403 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,360 more than 710 missiles into Ukraine 404 00:15:58,610 --> 00:16:00,832 since the war began . Have any of those 405 00:16:00,832 --> 00:16:03,310 or how close have those missiles come 406 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:06,930 to the polish border ? Um , what I 407 00:16:06,930 --> 00:16:09,090 would tell you carla without getting 408 00:16:09,090 --> 00:16:12,160 into too much detail or the , 409 00:16:13,740 --> 00:16:17,530 almost all of the 410 00:16:17,530 --> 00:16:19,474 missiles that have been fired from 411 00:16:19,474 --> 00:16:21,586 either inside Ukraine or from outside 412 00:16:21,586 --> 00:16:24,530 Ukraine have been um , have been 413 00:16:24,530 --> 00:16:28,350 targeted at sites in the eastern part 414 00:16:28,350 --> 00:16:31,250 of the country . If you were to draw a 415 00:16:31,250 --> 00:16:34,260 line from Kiev down to Odessa straight 416 00:16:34,260 --> 00:16:36,630 line . Almost all those strikes are 417 00:16:36,630 --> 00:16:39,230 occurring to the east of that line . So 418 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:43,010 nothing , nothing close that we've seen 419 00:16:43,020 --> 00:16:45,510 to , to Poland or even even in Western 420 00:16:45,510 --> 00:16:47,620 Ukraine quite frankly . And then a 421 00:16:47,630 --> 00:16:49,820 quick follow on the humanitarian 422 00:16:49,820 --> 00:16:52,042 corridors that keep , you know , trying 423 00:16:52,042 --> 00:16:54,376 to be established and then failing . Um , 424 00:16:54,376 --> 00:16:56,376 does the pentagon consider it a war 425 00:16:56,376 --> 00:16:58,640 crime to establish a humanitarian 426 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,210 corridor and then vomit ? Yeah , the 427 00:17:01,220 --> 00:17:03,442 pentagon is not making judgments on war 428 00:17:03,442 --> 00:17:05,553 crimes . Uh , well , we'll leave that 429 00:17:05,553 --> 00:17:09,540 to the experts . Uh , um , what 430 00:17:09,540 --> 00:17:12,890 I would tell you is that short of 431 00:17:12,900 --> 00:17:15,122 stopping the invasion , which is really 432 00:17:15,122 --> 00:17:17,456 what needs to happen here short of that . 433 00:17:17,456 --> 00:17:19,850 We want to see that innocent civilians , 434 00:17:19,860 --> 00:17:23,280 uh , are given safe passage and not 435 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,720 being harmed and they ought to be given 436 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:27,820 safe passage again , they shouldn't 437 00:17:27,820 --> 00:17:29,876 have to have a safe passage . But if 438 00:17:29,876 --> 00:17:32,098 they're gonna it ought to be two places 439 00:17:32,098 --> 00:17:34,320 inside their own country inside Ukraine 440 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,670 not aimed at the North and the Belarus 441 00:17:36,670 --> 00:17:38,892 and Russia , I think the Ukrainians can 442 00:17:38,892 --> 00:17:40,892 be forgiven for not wanting to flee 443 00:17:40,892 --> 00:17:42,781 into the very countries that have 444 00:17:42,781 --> 00:17:46,320 invaded them . Um And so we would we 445 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:48,487 would obviously like to see if there's 446 00:17:48,487 --> 00:17:50,542 going to be safe passage , that it's 447 00:17:50,542 --> 00:17:52,542 truly safe passage inside their own 448 00:17:52,542 --> 00:17:54,542 country . And unmolested by the way 449 00:17:54,542 --> 00:17:57,300 from Russian attacks , which has not 450 00:17:57,310 --> 00:17:59,366 always been the case in the last few 451 00:17:59,366 --> 00:18:01,366 days , calling for a safe passage , 452 00:18:01,366 --> 00:18:03,870 calling for corridors . Uh and then uh 453 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:05,991 and then hitting people while they're 454 00:18:05,991 --> 00:18:08,213 trying to use those corridors , killing 455 00:18:08,213 --> 00:18:10,547 people in the midst of evacuating again , 456 00:18:10,547 --> 00:18:12,780 I'll leave the the legal scrutiny to to 457 00:18:12,780 --> 00:18:15,870 others . Uh But but clearly what what 458 00:18:15,870 --> 00:18:18,210 we want to see is um is for the 459 00:18:18,210 --> 00:18:20,300 destruction and the death to to stop 460 00:18:20,300 --> 00:18:24,300 and short of that to uh to be observed , 461 00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:26,360 the humanitarian concerns to be 462 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:29,100 observed by the Russian military ? Or 463 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:31,529 are you actively discouraging the 464 00:18:31,529 --> 00:18:33,640 transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine ? 465 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:35,807 Or is it the position that the U . S . 466 00:18:35,807 --> 00:18:37,973 Won't be part of this ? And it remains 467 00:18:37,973 --> 00:18:40,307 a polish decision ? And then separately , 468 00:18:40,307 --> 00:18:40,300 have you assessed the Russians have 469 00:18:40,300 --> 00:18:42,467 used thermobaric weaponry in Ukraine , 470 00:18:42,467 --> 00:18:44,800 no indications that thermobaric weapons , 471 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,744 not no evidence of that that I can 472 00:18:46,744 --> 00:18:48,578 speak to . And and look what I'm 473 00:18:48,578 --> 00:18:50,244 talking about today . Is this 474 00:18:50,244 --> 00:18:52,411 particular proposal about the MIG 29 . 475 00:18:52,540 --> 00:18:55,080 Um as I mentioned to bob sovereign 476 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,630 nations unilaterally are deciding to 477 00:18:57,630 --> 00:18:59,852 make decisions about providing security 478 00:18:59,852 --> 00:19:01,963 assistance to Ukraine . And they have 479 00:19:01,963 --> 00:19:04,019 that right to do that . And it's not 480 00:19:04,019 --> 00:19:06,019 our place to speak for them or what 481 00:19:06,019 --> 00:19:08,130 they may want to do . We just felt it 482 00:19:08,130 --> 00:19:10,019 was important since this proposal 483 00:19:10,019 --> 00:19:12,186 involved a transfer to U . S . Custody 484 00:19:12,186 --> 00:19:14,241 and that that we , I believed it was 485 00:19:14,241 --> 00:19:16,186 important to lay flat our concerns 486 00:19:16,186 --> 00:19:18,297 about that and that's what we've done 487 00:19:18,297 --> 00:19:20,840 here . Yeah . David still on the the 488 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:24,330 order to deploy patriots into 489 00:19:24,450 --> 00:19:26,950 Poland . Defense officials said this 490 00:19:26,950 --> 00:19:28,839 morning that Secretary Austin had 491 00:19:28,839 --> 00:19:30,894 ordered that . I always thought that 492 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:33,900 kind of internal movement was ordered 493 00:19:33,910 --> 00:19:37,530 by General Walters . So one 494 00:19:37,780 --> 00:19:41,110 Why was it ordered by Secretary Austin ? 495 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,760 And to what changed two 496 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:50,270 convincing of the he should put 497 00:19:50,740 --> 00:19:54,270 patriots forward in Poland . Was there 498 00:19:54,740 --> 00:19:58,340 any kind of aerial incident ? Was 499 00:19:58,340 --> 00:20:01,300 there a failure of the deconfliction 500 00:20:01,300 --> 00:20:05,050 line ? Was there another intelligence 501 00:20:05,050 --> 00:20:07,690 community assessment that the risk was 502 00:20:07,690 --> 00:20:10,010 higher ? I mean , what what changed 503 00:20:10,010 --> 00:20:12,540 from before he ordered the patriots ? 504 00:20:12,830 --> 00:20:16,600 Until now , the No , no one thing 505 00:20:16,610 --> 00:20:18,750 precipitated this move . And we have 506 00:20:18,750 --> 00:20:21,970 been talking now for weeks about our 507 00:20:21,970 --> 00:20:24,190 willingness and our capability of 508 00:20:24,190 --> 00:20:27,260 moving assets around in theater , given 509 00:20:27,740 --> 00:20:29,810 the conditions on the ground , given 510 00:20:29,810 --> 00:20:31,866 the what was then a looming invasion 511 00:20:31,866 --> 00:20:34,240 and now what has been a quite 512 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:37,540 destructive invasion in Ukraine . And 513 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,050 the secretary has never been one to 514 00:20:40,050 --> 00:20:43,640 take off the table options uh , to 515 00:20:43,650 --> 00:20:46,480 relocate our assets as he believes is 516 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:48,650 best suited to defense of NATO 517 00:20:48,650 --> 00:20:50,539 territory . This was one of those 518 00:20:50,539 --> 00:20:52,820 decisions . Um , it wasn't precipitated 519 00:20:52,820 --> 00:20:54,880 by one single moment or one single 520 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,700 issue or one single uh act by the 521 00:20:58,700 --> 00:21:02,670 Russians , but rather by A constant and 522 00:21:02,670 --> 00:21:04,680 routine consultation with our NATO 523 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:07,730 allies in this case , Poland about 524 00:21:07,740 --> 00:21:09,796 about the needs and the capabilities 525 00:21:09,796 --> 00:21:12,140 that would best suit our obligations to 526 00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:14,750 Article five . And as for the orders 527 00:21:14,750 --> 00:21:16,583 given , I mean , clearly general 528 00:21:16,583 --> 00:21:18,639 Walters gave the order . They are in 529 00:21:18,639 --> 00:21:20,639 his theater . And you're right , he 530 00:21:20,639 --> 00:21:22,694 absolutely has that authority and he 531 00:21:22,694 --> 00:21:24,861 and he made that order , but he did it 532 00:21:24,861 --> 00:21:27,083 at the direction of the Secretary based 533 00:21:27,083 --> 00:21:29,417 on the Secretary's consultation with uh , 534 00:21:29,417 --> 00:21:31,639 with our with our allies and partners . 535 00:21:31,639 --> 00:21:33,750 I mean , that's that's not unusual at 536 00:21:33,750 --> 00:21:35,806 all . That's very typical how things 537 00:21:35,806 --> 00:21:38,990 are done here . We saw the 538 00:21:38,990 --> 00:21:41,380 Ukrainians claim that a maternity and 539 00:21:41,380 --> 00:21:44,030 Children's hospital mary paul was hit 540 00:21:44,040 --> 00:21:46,260 directly by by Russian strike . Do you 541 00:21:46,260 --> 00:21:48,260 have anything on that or any of the 542 00:21:48,260 --> 00:21:51,020 other civilian casualties that you're 543 00:21:51,020 --> 00:21:53,131 seeing at this point , I'm afraid . I 544 00:21:53,131 --> 00:21:55,187 don't I've seen those same reports , 545 00:21:55,187 --> 00:21:57,353 you have , but we're not in a position 546 00:21:57,353 --> 00:21:59,687 to be able to independently verify that . 547 00:21:59,687 --> 00:22:03,650 Um obviously , uh , that's 548 00:22:03,650 --> 00:22:05,960 a horrific outcome . Regardless of 549 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:07,960 whether it was intentional or not . 550 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,920 Uh if it's true and we 551 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,087 have no reason to doubt it's that it's 552 00:22:14,087 --> 00:22:16,031 true . We just can't independently 553 00:22:16,031 --> 00:22:18,031 verify . I mean , it's just another 554 00:22:18,031 --> 00:22:19,840 indicator of of of the supreme 555 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:21,896 sacrifices that the Ukrainian people 556 00:22:21,896 --> 00:22:24,118 are making and that they shouldn't have 557 00:22:24,118 --> 00:22:26,451 to make . Uh , you know , we're talking , 558 00:22:26,451 --> 00:22:29,120 you know , families , Children , um , 559 00:22:29,150 --> 00:22:31,560 killed , wounded , displaced , all of 560 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,000 it , all of it avoidable , all of it 561 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,340 completely avoidable . And on the 562 00:22:36,350 --> 00:22:40,020 casualties count . Again , we're we're 563 00:22:40,020 --> 00:22:42,330 being very careful here , uh , to not 564 00:22:42,340 --> 00:22:44,284 get into estimates of casualties . 565 00:22:44,290 --> 00:22:46,640 Obviously we know there have been 566 00:22:46,650 --> 00:22:49,440 casualties , civilian casualties . Um , 567 00:22:49,450 --> 00:22:52,140 Ukrainian soldiers have suffered 568 00:22:52,140 --> 00:22:54,760 casualties as well . Um , and we know 569 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:56,760 the Russians have , but we're being 570 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:58,927 very careful not to get into estimates 571 00:22:58,927 --> 00:23:00,649 of numbers . Uh , they , these 572 00:23:00,649 --> 00:23:03,520 estimates are , they vary widely . They 573 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:05,520 change literally every day , if not 574 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:07,687 every hour . Um , and again , it's not 575 00:23:07,687 --> 00:23:09,964 an operation we're conducting . And so , 576 00:23:09,964 --> 00:23:12,060 uh , we don't feel like we have the 577 00:23:12,060 --> 00:23:13,893 confidence to be able to put out 578 00:23:13,893 --> 00:23:17,360 specific numbers . Unguided munitions 579 00:23:17,360 --> 00:23:19,890 being used . Are you seeing that ? And 580 00:23:19,900 --> 00:23:21,900 is that factoring into the civilian 581 00:23:21,900 --> 00:23:23,900 casualties ? We do have indications 582 00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:26,890 that , I mean , that , that uh , not 583 00:23:26,900 --> 00:23:29,880 everything that the Russians are are 584 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,490 using and their long range fires are 585 00:23:32,500 --> 00:23:36,430 precision guided , that , that , that 586 00:23:36,440 --> 00:23:38,570 a number of a number of munitions are 587 00:23:38,580 --> 00:23:40,740 are not and therefore not precise , 588 00:23:41,340 --> 00:23:43,560 which of course just raises the 589 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,260 likelihood and the chances of civilian 590 00:23:46,260 --> 00:23:48,880 casualties and and uh , and damage to 591 00:23:48,880 --> 00:23:50,930 civilian infrastructure , it's not 592 00:23:50,930 --> 00:23:53,440 precise , but even even in their use of 593 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,910 precise weapons systems or so called 594 00:23:56,910 --> 00:23:59,670 precise by Russian accounts ? I mean , 595 00:23:59,670 --> 00:24:01,250 we have seen again civilian 596 00:24:01,250 --> 00:24:03,120 infrastructure hit and civilian 597 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:06,730 casualties caused . Hi john um 598 00:24:06,740 --> 00:24:09,030 how concerned is the pentagon that the 599 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:11,096 risk that this could escalate into a 600 00:24:11,096 --> 00:24:13,180 nuclear conflict has increased ? And 601 00:24:13,180 --> 00:24:16,480 did that weigh into the decision to say 602 00:24:16,490 --> 00:24:18,546 the U . S . Would not have a role in 603 00:24:18,546 --> 00:24:20,870 transferring migs to Ukraine ? Well , I 604 00:24:20,870 --> 00:24:22,981 think I laid it out pretty clearly in 605 00:24:22,981 --> 00:24:25,092 my opening statement that the risk of 606 00:24:25,092 --> 00:24:27,470 escalation certainly factored into Our 607 00:24:27,470 --> 00:24:30,360 thinking on this MiG 29 proposal . 608 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:34,790 Um and I again , I I want to 609 00:24:34,790 --> 00:24:36,957 be careful here that we're not getting 610 00:24:36,957 --> 00:24:38,790 into intelligence assessments of 611 00:24:38,790 --> 00:24:40,623 potential outcomes . Russia is a 612 00:24:40,623 --> 00:24:42,623 nuclear power . There's no question 613 00:24:42,623 --> 00:24:44,810 about that . Um and nobody stands to 614 00:24:44,810 --> 00:24:48,250 gain if this conflict which is already 615 00:24:48,250 --> 00:24:51,440 so deadly , gets even more deadly um 616 00:24:51,450 --> 00:24:54,090 because of the potential for a broader , 617 00:24:54,100 --> 00:24:57,360 deeper , wider um and non conventional 618 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:00,290 conflict . So we're certainly mindful 619 00:25:00,290 --> 00:25:02,290 of that , of that threat . And as I 620 00:25:02,290 --> 00:25:04,750 said at the at the outset , we want to 621 00:25:04,750 --> 00:25:06,806 make sure that whatever decisions we 622 00:25:06,806 --> 00:25:08,694 make , whatever support we give , 623 00:25:08,940 --> 00:25:12,260 whatever leadership we show it is not 624 00:25:12,740 --> 00:25:15,720 in a in a way that makes the conflict 625 00:25:15,730 --> 00:25:19,710 escalatory . Has the pentagon noticed 626 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,780 any changes to Russia's nuclear posture 627 00:25:22,780 --> 00:25:25,058 or have any changes been made to the U . 628 00:25:25,058 --> 00:25:27,610 S deterrent posture um in the days 629 00:25:27,610 --> 00:25:30,130 since Putin announced his own change , 630 00:25:30,140 --> 00:25:32,440 I would answer the question I the same 631 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:34,930 way I've been doing it Tara without 632 00:25:34,930 --> 00:25:37,710 getting into specifics , I can assure 633 00:25:37,710 --> 00:25:41,150 you that we are comfortable with with 634 00:25:41,150 --> 00:25:43,261 our strategic deterrent posture as it 635 00:25:43,261 --> 00:25:46,080 is and I'll just leave there . So we mm 636 00:25:48,290 --> 00:25:52,180 to go back to the patriots is put on 637 00:25:52,180 --> 00:25:54,470 the only NATO country that has 638 00:25:54,470 --> 00:25:58,150 requested patriots . I could ask . 639 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:00,730 Do you plan to deploy patriots 640 00:26:00,750 --> 00:26:03,170 everywhere in the region anywhere else ? 641 00:26:03,430 --> 00:26:05,652 I'm not aware of any other requests for 642 00:26:05,652 --> 00:26:07,708 Patriot missile batteries . And so I 643 00:26:07,708 --> 00:26:11,540 have no no plans or no no no no 644 00:26:11,540 --> 00:26:13,818 future Redeployments to speak to today , 645 00:26:13,818 --> 00:26:16,400 Sylvie , you've clarified the 646 00:26:16,410 --> 00:26:18,132 pentagon's position on the jet 647 00:26:18,132 --> 00:26:20,188 transfers . Excuse me . But it was a 648 00:26:20,188 --> 00:26:22,132 sharp contrast from what Secretary 649 00:26:22,132 --> 00:26:24,132 Blinken said over the weekend about 650 00:26:24,132 --> 00:26:25,966 giving the green light for those 651 00:26:25,966 --> 00:26:28,188 transfers . Are they pentagon ? And the 652 00:26:28,188 --> 00:26:30,354 State Department currently on the same 653 00:26:30,354 --> 00:26:32,521 page when it comes to the situation in 654 00:26:32,521 --> 00:26:34,799 Russia and Ukraine . Yeah , absolutely . 655 00:26:34,799 --> 00:26:37,021 We are . I mean you're talking about uh 656 00:26:37,021 --> 00:26:39,243 comments that were made uh , you know , 657 00:26:39,243 --> 00:26:41,243 over the course of the last weekend 658 00:26:41,243 --> 00:26:44,700 when this was uh , a nation's idea . 659 00:26:44,710 --> 00:26:47,330 Um , and we were absorbing that idea 660 00:26:47,330 --> 00:26:49,552 and we were talking about it and and we 661 00:26:49,552 --> 00:26:52,820 did Um , Secretary Blinken was 100% 662 00:26:52,820 --> 00:26:54,987 right that first of all , it wasn't it 663 00:26:54,987 --> 00:26:58,260 wasn't our place to uh to uh , 664 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:01,350 to tell Poland what to do or not to do . 665 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:03,840 That was the main point that he was 666 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,007 trying to make . But he also indicated 667 00:27:06,007 --> 00:27:08,173 accurately that we were we were having 668 00:27:08,173 --> 00:27:10,229 an interagency discussion inside the 669 00:27:10,229 --> 00:27:12,396 administration about about this idea . 670 00:27:12,396 --> 00:27:14,451 Um , We have had those discussions . 671 00:27:14,451 --> 00:27:18,130 The polls put out a statement last 672 00:27:18,130 --> 00:27:20,408 night about this transferring of the U . 673 00:27:20,408 --> 00:27:22,574 S . Custody . We talked about that and 674 00:27:22,574 --> 00:27:24,741 again I came out here today to to read 675 00:27:24,741 --> 00:27:26,963 out to you uh where we ended up landing 676 00:27:26,963 --> 00:27:29,074 on that if you have time for one more 677 00:27:29,074 --> 00:27:31,130 real quick . We've heard a lot about 678 00:27:31,130 --> 00:27:33,297 the help given to the Ukrainians . But 679 00:27:33,297 --> 00:27:35,352 is the pentagon monitoring uh actors 680 00:27:35,352 --> 00:27:37,408 that could be assisting the Russians 681 00:27:37,408 --> 00:27:39,574 right now monitoring actors whether it 682 00:27:39,574 --> 00:27:41,519 be china Iran other countries that 683 00:27:41,519 --> 00:27:43,740 could be working with Russia while 684 00:27:43,740 --> 00:27:45,851 they're now viewed as a pariah on the 685 00:27:45,851 --> 00:27:47,851 world stage , I'm not going to talk 686 00:27:47,851 --> 00:27:51,290 about intelligence issues here . We're 687 00:27:51,290 --> 00:27:54,210 obviously scanning that the threat 688 00:27:54,210 --> 00:27:56,360 landscape as broadly and as deeply as 689 00:27:56,360 --> 00:27:58,940 we can . And certainly uh we we have 690 00:27:58,940 --> 00:28:01,200 taken note that the chinese for 691 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,960 instance uh have 692 00:28:04,940 --> 00:28:07,740 have at the very least provided a tacit 693 00:28:07,740 --> 00:28:09,960 level of approval for what Russia has 694 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,071 done even to the point of blaming the 695 00:28:12,071 --> 00:28:14,660 United States for this war incredibly . 696 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:19,010 Um , and uh and again we're constantly 697 00:28:19,010 --> 00:28:21,121 looking at the threat landscape and I 698 00:28:21,121 --> 00:28:23,288 don't really have anything more to add 699 00:28:23,288 --> 00:28:25,232 on that jenny . Thank you have two 700 00:28:25,232 --> 00:28:28,710 occasions . First station is Russia has 701 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,270 designated the South Korea and the 702 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:35,570 United States its allies as non 703 00:28:35,570 --> 00:28:39,090 friendly nations and Putin's 704 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,070 retaliation against the South Korea has 705 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:47,070 already begun . What is your comment on 706 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,860 the Russians action on this . I 707 00:28:50,860 --> 00:28:53,610 think I think our actions speak louder 708 00:28:53,610 --> 00:28:55,832 than any comment or words I could offer 709 00:28:55,832 --> 00:28:58,060 here today jenny , we continue to look 710 00:28:58,060 --> 00:29:00,330 for ways to support Ukraine in their 711 00:29:00,330 --> 00:29:02,552 defense . We're grateful that the South 712 00:29:02,552 --> 00:29:05,800 Koreans are allies have also uh levied 713 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:07,950 sanctions and being willing to to to 714 00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:10,790 offer support . Um I think that's 715 00:29:10,790 --> 00:29:12,957 indicative of our close friendship and 716 00:29:12,957 --> 00:29:15,123 partnership , but also more indicative 717 00:29:15,123 --> 00:29:18,680 of of of the South korean government 718 00:29:18,690 --> 00:29:22,510 and and their their concerns about what 719 00:29:22,510 --> 00:29:26,320 Russia is doing secondly , yesterday 720 00:29:26,330 --> 00:29:29,250 at the U . S . Congressional hearing , 721 00:29:29,500 --> 00:29:32,750 US Strategic Commander , General 722 00:29:32,750 --> 00:29:36,060 Richard said , I'm sorry 723 00:29:36,890 --> 00:29:40,660 North Korea , thank you . Good . 724 00:29:41,540 --> 00:29:44,650 And North Korea's I C . B . M . Nuclear 725 00:29:44,650 --> 00:29:48,060 tests are likely to increase in the 726 00:29:48,070 --> 00:29:51,970 future . What strategy does the 727 00:29:51,970 --> 00:29:55,670 US have in the response to North 728 00:29:55,670 --> 00:29:59,020 Korea's escalate tensions in the korean 729 00:29:59,020 --> 00:30:01,530 peninsula . Uh look , jenny , I would 730 00:30:01,530 --> 00:30:04,470 point you to uh what windowpane calm 731 00:30:04,470 --> 00:30:06,470 just put out earlier this morning . 732 00:30:06,470 --> 00:30:08,581 We've made clear our concern over the 733 00:30:08,581 --> 00:30:10,700 significant increase in DpRK missile 734 00:30:10,700 --> 00:30:13,020 testing activity , which we continue to 735 00:30:13,020 --> 00:30:15,131 believe undermines peace and security 736 00:30:15,131 --> 00:30:17,353 and is destabilizing the region as well 737 00:30:17,353 --> 00:30:19,520 as the international community . So in 738 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:21,409 light of that . Um as we've noted 739 00:30:21,409 --> 00:30:23,530 earlier this week , uh U . S . Indo 740 00:30:23,530 --> 00:30:25,530 pacific Command ordered intensified 741 00:30:25,540 --> 00:30:27,207 intelligence surveillance and 742 00:30:27,207 --> 00:30:29,429 reconnaissance collection activities in 743 00:30:29,429 --> 00:30:31,373 the Yellow Sea as well as enhanced 744 00:30:31,373 --> 00:30:33,484 readiness among our ballistic missile 745 00:30:33,484 --> 00:30:35,818 defense forces in the region . So again , 746 00:30:35,818 --> 00:30:38,330 I think in our case here actions are 747 00:30:38,330 --> 00:30:40,560 speaking louder than words We . Uh we 748 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:42,671 have made clear what our concerns are 749 00:30:42,671 --> 00:30:46,510 and were acting on those concerns . The 750 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:48,576 Defense Department was tasked pretty 751 00:30:48,576 --> 00:30:51,380 much on the fly with finding Bill Bill . 752 00:30:51,380 --> 00:30:53,436 It's for thousands of refugees after 753 00:30:53,436 --> 00:30:56,370 the fall of Afghanistan . Are you 754 00:30:56,370 --> 00:30:58,481 trying is the pentagon trying to sort 755 00:30:58,481 --> 00:31:00,703 of look at get ahead of this tattoo . I 756 00:31:00,703 --> 00:31:02,814 mean get ahead of this to prepare for 757 00:31:02,814 --> 00:31:04,870 if it had if you have to do it again 758 00:31:04,870 --> 00:31:06,870 with with regard to any people from 759 00:31:06,870 --> 00:31:09,037 from Ukraine . Well , you know , we're 760 00:31:09,037 --> 00:31:11,450 just uh getting closer to wrapping up 761 00:31:11,460 --> 00:31:13,700 operation allies welcome . Uh and we 762 00:31:13,700 --> 00:31:15,867 were very proud to be a part of that . 763 00:31:15,867 --> 00:31:18,770 Uh this DHS led mission to provide uh 764 00:31:19,140 --> 00:31:21,500 safe and secure environment for afghan 765 00:31:21,500 --> 00:31:23,850 evacuees to get on with their new lives 766 00:31:23,850 --> 00:31:25,794 here as as american citizens . And 767 00:31:25,794 --> 00:31:28,017 we're very proud of that . I know of no 768 00:31:28,017 --> 00:31:29,961 such similar efforts underway that 769 00:31:29,961 --> 00:31:31,870 would utilize Defense Department 770 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:34,620 property or facilities or resources uh 771 00:31:34,630 --> 00:31:37,770 with respect to Ukrainian evacuees . Uh 772 00:31:37,940 --> 00:31:39,780 but again , that would be really 773 00:31:40,130 --> 00:31:42,186 something better directed to DHS and 774 00:31:42,186 --> 00:31:44,297 the State Department , but there's no 775 00:31:44,297 --> 00:31:46,970 active efforts right now that for D . O . 776 00:31:46,970 --> 00:31:48,970 D . Participation in that kind of a 777 00:31:48,970 --> 00:31:52,730 move . Um and look mike , I mean that 778 00:31:52,740 --> 00:31:55,570 these the Ukrainians would have had to 779 00:31:55,570 --> 00:31:58,360 flee . I suspect they want to go home 780 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,190 to their home um to a country that's 781 00:32:02,190 --> 00:32:05,030 not being bombed and shelled and not 782 00:32:05,030 --> 00:32:08,950 invaded by by Russia . I would , I 783 00:32:08,950 --> 00:32:11,061 would imagine that's what they really 784 00:32:11,061 --> 00:32:13,283 want , that they're not looking for new 785 00:32:13,283 --> 00:32:15,394 homes . They want to go back to their 786 00:32:15,394 --> 00:32:17,506 homes and they have every right to do 787 00:32:17,506 --> 00:32:19,672 that . And the what needs to happen is 788 00:32:19,672 --> 00:32:21,839 this war needs to end and Mr Putin for 789 00:32:21,839 --> 00:32:24,172 all the options he has available to him . 790 00:32:24,172 --> 00:32:23,960 He still has the option of diplomacy 791 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:25,904 and ending this war , which he has 792 00:32:26,130 --> 00:32:28,297 certainly within the power , his power 793 00:32:28,297 --> 00:32:30,530 to do it so that these two million plus 794 00:32:30,530 --> 00:32:32,820 people now can go back to their own 795 00:32:32,820 --> 00:32:35,042 homes where where they obviously belong 796 00:32:35,042 --> 00:32:38,990 and want to be . Yeah , basically with 797 00:32:38,990 --> 00:32:40,990 Marine Corps Times , thank you with 798 00:32:40,990 --> 00:32:42,879 cold response in the Marine Corps 799 00:32:42,879 --> 00:32:44,823 originally planned on sending 5000 800 00:32:44,823 --> 00:32:46,712 Marines to Norway that's now been 801 00:32:46,712 --> 00:32:48,434 reduced to 3000 . Is that true 802 00:32:48,434 --> 00:32:50,490 production in any way connected with 803 00:32:50,490 --> 00:32:52,546 what's going on in Ukraine ? I don't 804 00:32:52,546 --> 00:32:54,712 think there's any connection to what's 805 00:32:54,712 --> 00:32:54,530 going on in Ukraine . But I would refer 806 00:32:54,530 --> 00:32:56,752 you to the Marine Corps to speak to how 807 00:32:56,752 --> 00:32:58,808 their resource in the exercise . And 808 00:32:58,808 --> 00:33:00,919 second question , there's from what I 809 00:33:00,919 --> 00:33:03,086 understand about 14,000 troops kind of 810 00:33:03,086 --> 00:33:05,141 activated or potentially activated ? 811 00:33:05,141 --> 00:33:07,141 Two . You had the eastern Europe as 812 00:33:07,141 --> 00:33:09,308 part of the native response . Is there 813 00:33:09,308 --> 00:33:11,530 a potential reason why are why is there 814 00:33:11,530 --> 00:33:13,808 no real Marine Corps unit part of that ? 815 00:33:13,808 --> 00:33:15,974 I mean , look , we we felt we felt the 816 00:33:15,974 --> 00:33:18,680 need , we feel to requirement um and 817 00:33:18,690 --> 00:33:20,746 right now the kinds of enablers that 818 00:33:20,746 --> 00:33:23,240 have been uh needed by our NATO allies 819 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:25,407 have , we've , you know , largely come 820 00:33:25,407 --> 00:33:27,629 from the army and the air force there's 821 00:33:27,629 --> 00:33:30,550 certainly no uh no , no over reason why 822 00:33:30,550 --> 00:33:32,772 there hasn't been Marine corps units uh 823 00:33:32,772 --> 00:33:34,994 put on prepare to deploy or sent over . 824 00:33:34,994 --> 00:33:37,106 Um I wouldn't rule anything in or out 825 00:33:37,106 --> 00:33:38,994 going forward . The secretary has 826 00:33:38,994 --> 00:33:41,050 always wanted to keep his options on 827 00:33:41,050 --> 00:33:42,828 the table to be able to provide 828 00:33:42,828 --> 00:33:44,828 additional force flow even from the 829 00:33:44,828 --> 00:33:47,050 United States . So we'll see where this 830 00:33:47,050 --> 00:33:49,680 goes . Yeah , I didn't get anybody on 831 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:51,680 the phone yet . I'm gonna be in big 832 00:33:51,680 --> 00:33:54,450 trouble here . Uh Paul Shenkman . 833 00:33:55,240 --> 00:33:57,630 Yeah . Hi john , two questions please . 834 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:00,240 One on the Russian convoy and another 835 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:01,962 on Russia's use of conscripted 836 00:34:01,962 --> 00:34:03,962 conscripted troops . Can you at all 837 00:34:03,962 --> 00:34:06,240 quantify the Russian column attempting 838 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:08,351 to advance on Kiev like the number of 839 00:34:08,351 --> 00:34:10,840 troops or resources within it and any 840 00:34:10,850 --> 00:34:12,628 other resources that Russia has 841 00:34:12,628 --> 00:34:14,794 deployed to either get it moving or to 842 00:34:14,794 --> 00:34:16,906 prevent those troops from freezing to 843 00:34:16,906 --> 00:34:18,906 death . And then secondly , can you 844 00:34:18,906 --> 00:34:21,072 comment on or do you have any insights 845 00:34:21,072 --> 00:34:20,930 on the recent developments regarding 846 00:34:20,930 --> 00:34:23,620 Russia's use of conscripted troops ? 847 00:34:23,620 --> 00:34:25,731 Can you confirm that they've recalled 848 00:34:25,731 --> 00:34:27,731 some of these forces and that their 849 00:34:27,731 --> 00:34:29,620 deployment to the front lines was 850 00:34:29,620 --> 00:34:31,676 seemingly the result of some kind of 851 00:34:31,676 --> 00:34:33,620 mistake . Thank you . Okay , a lot 852 00:34:33,620 --> 00:34:35,676 there um , on the convoy . I I don't 853 00:34:35,676 --> 00:34:37,898 have a lot of additional context here . 854 00:34:37,898 --> 00:34:39,953 Our assessment is this was largely a 855 00:34:39,953 --> 00:34:41,953 resupply convoy . Our assessment is 856 00:34:41,953 --> 00:34:44,176 still that it it remains uh stalled and 857 00:34:44,176 --> 00:34:46,398 is not moving . Uh it has been attacked 858 00:34:46,398 --> 00:34:48,453 by Ukrainian armed forces with quite 859 00:34:48,453 --> 00:34:51,210 some effect . Um , and uh , and our 860 00:34:51,210 --> 00:34:53,266 assessment that has not been able to 861 00:34:53,266 --> 00:34:55,432 come to the relief of advanced columns 862 00:34:55,432 --> 00:34:59,170 that are moving on on on Kiev . I 863 00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:00,920 have not and will not get into 864 00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:03,142 estimating the length of it or how many 865 00:35:03,142 --> 00:35:05,253 vehicles or what kind of vehicles are 866 00:35:05,253 --> 00:35:07,253 in it . We don't have that level of 867 00:35:07,253 --> 00:35:09,580 detail . Um , and on conscripts , we 868 00:35:09,580 --> 00:35:11,524 certainly , and we've been talking 869 00:35:11,524 --> 00:35:13,580 about this for a while . I mean , we 870 00:35:13,580 --> 00:35:15,636 certainly have seen that , um , that 871 00:35:15,636 --> 00:35:17,580 some of the initial uh , battalion 872 00:35:17,580 --> 00:35:19,580 tactical groups that were sent into 873 00:35:19,580 --> 00:35:21,630 Ukraine in the early days had 874 00:35:21,630 --> 00:35:24,070 conscripts in the force . We've been 875 00:35:24,070 --> 00:35:26,710 very careful not to provide a ratio or 876 00:35:26,710 --> 00:35:28,821 a number because we don't know . We , 877 00:35:28,821 --> 00:35:31,990 we we're not experts on Russian Russian 878 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:34,190 manning and and how they organized 879 00:35:34,190 --> 00:35:36,134 their units , but we certainly had 880 00:35:36,134 --> 00:35:38,650 reliable indicators that a good many of 881 00:35:38,650 --> 00:35:40,650 these troops were conscripts . Um , 882 00:35:40,650 --> 00:35:43,410 again , how many , we don't know what , 883 00:35:43,420 --> 00:35:45,531 what their fate is . Now . We don't , 884 00:35:45,531 --> 00:35:48,470 we don't know . Um , uh , I saw the 885 00:35:48,470 --> 00:35:50,637 statement out of the Kremlin about the 886 00:35:50,637 --> 00:35:52,637 offer and their , their numbers . I 887 00:35:52,637 --> 00:35:52,610 think that I can't remember what it was 888 00:35:52,610 --> 00:35:55,040 several 100 or something like that . I 889 00:35:55,050 --> 00:35:57,161 don't think I need to tell any of you 890 00:35:57,161 --> 00:35:59,328 this , but I would look upon any piece 891 00:35:59,328 --> 00:36:01,439 of data that you get from the Kremlin 892 00:36:01,439 --> 00:36:04,750 with great skepticism , Let's see 893 00:36:05,420 --> 00:36:07,030 Tony Capasso Bloomberg . 894 00:36:11,730 --> 00:36:13,897 Hi , john , quick question on Russia's 895 00:36:13,897 --> 00:36:16,008 cyber warfare capability in Ukraine . 896 00:36:16,050 --> 00:36:17,772 You remember military analysts 897 00:36:17,772 --> 00:36:19,717 predicted before the invasion that 898 00:36:19,717 --> 00:36:21,883 Russia would unleash the full brunt of 899 00:36:21,883 --> 00:36:23,661 its cyber capability to cripple 900 00:36:23,661 --> 00:36:25,828 Ukraine's infrastructure ? What's deal 901 00:36:25,828 --> 00:36:27,994 with these assessment of the extent of 902 00:36:27,994 --> 00:36:29,994 that used to date ? It doesn't seem 903 00:36:29,994 --> 00:36:33,000 extensive . Yeah , I mean , I again , 904 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,056 we don't have perfect visibility and 905 00:36:35,056 --> 00:36:37,222 everything that the Russians are doing 906 00:36:37,222 --> 00:36:39,389 in in cyberspace . What what we can do 907 00:36:39,389 --> 00:36:41,790 Tony is speak to outcomes . We believe 908 00:36:41,790 --> 00:36:45,230 that um , that there hasn't been so 909 00:36:45,230 --> 00:36:48,760 far devastating uh , cyber effects 910 00:36:48,770 --> 00:36:51,010 on Ukraine , although that we have 911 00:36:51,010 --> 00:36:53,680 noted uh , cyber attacks , cyber 912 00:36:53,680 --> 00:36:56,390 disruptions , websites being taken down , 913 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:59,390 um , and attempts to limit 914 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:02,820 uh , communications , uh , certainly 915 00:37:02,820 --> 00:37:05,042 we've seen all that . Um , and we would 916 00:37:05,042 --> 00:37:06,876 expect that those efforts by the 917 00:37:06,876 --> 00:37:09,098 Russians would continue again . This is 918 00:37:09,098 --> 00:37:11,431 very much a part of their playbook . Um , 919 00:37:11,431 --> 00:37:13,598 I would note that the Ukrainians are , 920 00:37:13,598 --> 00:37:15,598 are not neo fights when it comes to 921 00:37:15,598 --> 00:37:18,520 cyber operations . We have helped over 922 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:20,800 time over these many years to help 923 00:37:20,800 --> 00:37:23,280 improve their resiliency in cyberspace 924 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:25,558 and I think some of that resiliency is , 925 00:37:25,558 --> 00:37:29,050 is uh , is on display as well . I mean 926 00:37:29,130 --> 00:37:32,640 that the Russians may not have had 927 00:37:32,640 --> 00:37:34,529 devastating effects in cyberspace 928 00:37:34,529 --> 00:37:36,529 doesn't just have to be because the 929 00:37:36,529 --> 00:37:38,140 Russians decided not to have 930 00:37:38,140 --> 00:37:40,362 devastating effects in cyberspace , but 931 00:37:40,362 --> 00:37:42,473 rather because perhaps the Ukrainians 932 00:37:42,473 --> 00:37:44,640 uh , have improved their ability to be 933 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,807 to be resilient Phil Stewart Reuters , 934 00:37:49,830 --> 00:37:51,830 hey , there just , could you give a 935 00:37:51,830 --> 00:37:54,220 little more information about this high 936 00:37:54,220 --> 00:37:56,220 risk assessment . Is there anything 937 00:37:56,220 --> 00:37:58,220 that's in the public realm that you 938 00:37:58,220 --> 00:38:00,520 could cite that explains why these 939 00:38:00,530 --> 00:38:02,697 combat aircraft transfers will be seen 940 00:38:02,697 --> 00:38:05,100 as high risk . And , and , uh , and , 941 00:38:05,100 --> 00:38:08,030 you know , is this a new red line , um , 942 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:10,207 by the US government about things that 943 00:38:10,207 --> 00:38:12,373 it won't do to support Ukraine ? Or is 944 00:38:12,373 --> 00:38:14,220 this somehow related to the pre 945 00:38:14,220 --> 00:38:16,730 existing red line ? About no , no , no 946 00:38:16,730 --> 00:38:18,897 troops even in an aerospace . Thanks . 947 00:38:19,050 --> 00:38:21,050 We're not drawing a red line here , 948 00:38:21,050 --> 00:38:22,828 Phil we're giving you an honest 949 00:38:22,828 --> 00:38:26,140 assessment of , uh , of how we , uh , 950 00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:28,864 came to our conclusions about this 951 00:38:28,864 --> 00:38:30,830 particular proposal of MIG 29 that 952 00:38:30,830 --> 00:38:32,997 would be transferred to US custody and 953 00:38:32,997 --> 00:38:34,997 then given to Ukraine . Um , that's 954 00:38:34,997 --> 00:38:37,163 what we're here to talk about . That's 955 00:38:37,163 --> 00:38:39,497 what , that's the decision that we made . 956 00:38:39,497 --> 00:38:41,497 Um , as I answered to court , we're 957 00:38:41,497 --> 00:38:43,497 constantly with with every decision 958 00:38:43,497 --> 00:38:45,980 we're making with every , uh , piece of 959 00:38:45,980 --> 00:38:48,036 material and , and system that we're 960 00:38:48,036 --> 00:38:50,202 providing , we're always going through 961 00:38:50,202 --> 00:38:53,470 the calculus of , of , uh , of the , of 962 00:38:53,470 --> 00:38:55,650 the need and the potential risk of 963 00:38:55,650 --> 00:38:57,761 providing that need , and we're going 964 00:38:57,761 --> 00:38:59,706 to continue to do that , uh , that 965 00:38:59,706 --> 00:39:01,761 going forward . And I'm not going to 966 00:39:01,761 --> 00:39:04,600 get into the specifics , uh , the 967 00:39:04,610 --> 00:39:06,388 sausage making of how that this 968 00:39:06,388 --> 00:39:08,610 particular decision got made . I walked 969 00:39:08,610 --> 00:39:10,777 through the three justifications . The 970 00:39:10,777 --> 00:39:12,832 Secretary is very comfortable , uh , 971 00:39:12,832 --> 00:39:14,888 with , with , with this decision and 972 00:39:14,888 --> 00:39:16,999 with those three justifications ? And 973 00:39:16,999 --> 00:39:18,943 I'm going to just leave it at that 974 00:39:18,943 --> 00:39:20,332 Oscar from polish news . 975 00:39:23,820 --> 00:39:26,230 Thank you . Thank you for this 976 00:39:26,230 --> 00:39:29,460 opportunity . Uh , could you talk a 977 00:39:29,460 --> 00:39:33,200 little bit more about why you 978 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,650 think that sending this , these , um , 979 00:39:37,220 --> 00:39:41,040 migs would be of little use the Ukraine . 980 00:39:41,050 --> 00:39:44,650 Is it because of the , um , 981 00:39:45,020 --> 00:39:48,530 surface to air missile coverage ? Or , 982 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:52,590 and it seems like , uh , well , you've 983 00:39:52,590 --> 00:39:55,030 been talking about this issue as more 984 00:39:55,030 --> 00:39:57,630 of a logistical challenge . But now it 985 00:39:57,630 --> 00:39:59,741 seems like it's more of a political , 986 00:39:59,741 --> 00:40:03,390 military issue . Um , and if I 987 00:40:03,390 --> 00:40:06,130 may also just a quick question about 988 00:40:06,130 --> 00:40:08,950 the patriots , is that just a temporary 989 00:40:08,950 --> 00:40:11,890 deployment ? Oscar ? I'm gonna point 990 00:40:11,890 --> 00:40:13,946 you back to my opening statement . I 991 00:40:13,946 --> 00:40:16,223 think I think I answered your question . 992 00:40:16,223 --> 00:40:18,279 Uh , your first question pretty well 993 00:40:18,279 --> 00:40:20,279 with that opening statement . And I 994 00:40:20,279 --> 00:40:20,240 don't know that I can improve upon it . 995 00:40:20,250 --> 00:40:22,410 And so trying would probably be folly 996 00:40:22,410 --> 00:40:25,210 for me and as for the Patriot missiles . 997 00:40:25,220 --> 00:40:27,610 Uh , yes , this is a temporary 998 00:40:27,620 --> 00:40:29,660 deployment to Poland , given the 999 00:40:29,660 --> 00:40:31,660 circumstances that we're in . These 1000 00:40:31,660 --> 00:40:33,980 patriot batteries were already had 1001 00:40:33,980 --> 00:40:36,036 already been deployed into Germany . 1002 00:40:36,050 --> 00:40:38,383 And I suspect that the appropriate time , 1003 00:40:38,383 --> 00:40:40,550 they'll go back there . Okay . I think 1004 00:40:40,550 --> 00:40:42,772 that's all the time we have for today . 1005 00:40:42,772 --> 00:40:44,828 Thanks very much . And we'll see you 1006 00:40:44,828 --> 00:40:46,130 guys later this week . Yeah ,