WEBVTT 00:03.140 --> 00:06.420 okay . A couple of things that the at 00:06.420 --> 00:08.840 the top you all have . We talked about 00:08.850 --> 00:10.739 the $800 million dollars security 00:11.440 --> 00:13.496 security assistance package that the 00:13.496 --> 00:15.718 president authorized yesterday . We are 00:15.718 --> 00:17.773 hard at work at filling that package 00:17.773 --> 00:19.607 out . And while I don't have any 00:19.607 --> 00:21.610 shipments to speak to today , I can 00:21.610 --> 00:23.720 assure you that we're moving we're 00:23.720 --> 00:25.887 moving as aggressively as we can to to 00:25.887 --> 00:28.990 to source all those items , get our 00:28.990 --> 00:31.212 hands on that material uh and get it on 00:31.212 --> 00:33.323 its way just as quickly as possible . 00:33.340 --> 00:36.800 The previous $800 million package that 00:36.800 --> 00:38.744 the Secretary , I'm sorry that the 00:38.744 --> 00:40.990 president authorized um is really only 00:40.990 --> 00:43.250 a few days away from closing out . So 00:43.250 --> 00:45.250 we're just gonna keep moving , keep 00:45.250 --> 00:47.417 going forward . Um And in keeping with 00:47.417 --> 00:49.250 our consultation with allies and 00:49.250 --> 00:51.361 partners about capabilities that they 00:51.361 --> 00:53.580 have that they could also provide to 00:53.580 --> 00:55.247 Ukraine . The secretary spoke 00:55.247 --> 00:57.030 separately today with the case 00:57.030 --> 00:59.030 counterparts from Slovakia and from 00:59.030 --> 01:01.110 Croatia . Again , as part of this 01:01.120 --> 01:03.176 ongoing consultation with allies and 01:03.176 --> 01:05.350 partners . Um and we'll have fuller 01:05.350 --> 01:08.140 readouts of those conversations later 01:08.140 --> 01:10.730 this afternoon . But again , it's of a 01:10.730 --> 01:12.619 piece of the Secretary's personal 01:12.619 --> 01:15.100 involvement in trying to help uh 01:15.110 --> 01:17.490 consult with with allies and partners 01:17.490 --> 01:19.400 about getting additional security 01:19.400 --> 01:21.622 assistance items . And I'm not going to 01:21.622 --> 01:23.789 get ahead of the the readout just just 01:23.789 --> 01:27.350 yet separately . I would like to know 01:27.940 --> 01:31.650 off the topic of Ukraine that uh that 01:31.660 --> 01:33.980 on Tuesday , the Defense P . O W . M . 01:33.980 --> 01:36.620 I . A accounting agency announced that 01:36.620 --> 01:38.910 U . S . Army Air Forces Lieutenant 01:38.910 --> 01:41.780 Colonel Addison E baker , he was 36 01:41.780 --> 01:44.002 when he was killed during World War two 01:44.002 --> 01:46.790 passionately passionately posthumously 01:46.790 --> 01:49.290 excuse me , awarded the medal of honor . 01:49.740 --> 01:52.210 Was finally accounted for on the on 01:52.210 --> 01:54.450 eight April this year . 01:56.440 --> 01:58.930 Lieutenant Colonel baker was piloting a 01:58.930 --> 02:01.960 b 24 Liberator bomber during operation 02:01.960 --> 02:05.350 tidal wave near Ploiesti Romania . 02:05.940 --> 02:08.500 His plane was hit by anti aircraft fire 02:08.500 --> 02:10.667 and crashed but not before he was able 02:10.667 --> 02:13.070 to drop his bombs on the target . Baker 02:13.070 --> 02:15.300 is the 17th Airman identified as part 02:15.300 --> 02:17.870 of the Ploy SD project which began in 02:17.870 --> 02:21.140 2017 at the defense P . O . W . M . I . 02:21.140 --> 02:23.650 A accounting agencies laboratory at 02:23.660 --> 02:26.900 Offutt , Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska . 02:26.910 --> 02:28.730 Uh and our thoughts and prayers 02:28.730 --> 02:31.340 continue to go out with Lieutenant 02:31.340 --> 02:33.400 Colonel baker's family . But we're 02:33.410 --> 02:35.577 certainly proud and honored to be able 02:35.577 --> 02:37.466 to uh to uh you know , be able to 02:37.466 --> 02:40.440 identify his remains and and recognize 02:40.450 --> 02:42.740 his incredible service to the country 02:42.750 --> 02:45.500 during World War two . Okay , bob I 02:45.500 --> 02:47.444 think you're on the phone . You're 02:47.444 --> 02:50.530 first . Yes , thank you . I am on the 02:50.530 --> 02:52.697 phone today . I hope you can hear me . 02:52.697 --> 02:56.210 Um could you on Ukraine , could you 02:56.220 --> 02:58.220 give your current assessment of the 02:58.220 --> 03:00.220 Russian ship incident as to whether 03:00.220 --> 03:02.320 it's your working assumption that it 03:02.320 --> 03:04.860 was struck by a missile . Is it still 03:04.860 --> 03:07.590 moving under its own power ? And lastly , 03:07.590 --> 03:11.110 could you um offer your 03:11.120 --> 03:13.287 assessment of what the significance of 03:13.287 --> 03:15.287 this losses for the broader Russian 03:15.287 --> 03:17.700 campaign . Thank you . So I'll just 03:17.700 --> 03:19.790 tell you what we know . And uh and 03:19.790 --> 03:21.957 that's to be very honest with you that 03:21.957 --> 03:24.090 we don't know everything . We cannot 03:24.090 --> 03:27.260 confirm the Ukrainian reports that it 03:27.260 --> 03:30.230 was hit by a missile , but we are also 03:30.230 --> 03:32.452 not in a position to refute that , uh , 03:32.452 --> 03:34.680 that it could have been a Ukrainian 03:34.680 --> 03:37.870 missile which struck the ship . We just 03:37.870 --> 03:40.400 don't have perfect visibility on 03:40.400 --> 03:42.660 exactly what happened . We do believe 03:42.670 --> 03:45.180 that there was a significant explosion 03:45.190 --> 03:48.510 on this cruiser , the moskva of slava , 03:48.510 --> 03:51.350 class of cruisers in the Russian Navy . 03:51.640 --> 03:55.560 We do believe that that that explosion 03:55.560 --> 03:58.380 caused a significant fire , which as of 03:58.380 --> 04:00.436 this morning was still raging aboard 04:00.436 --> 04:03.730 the ship . We do assess that at least 04:03.730 --> 04:06.830 some of the crew members evacuated the 04:06.830 --> 04:08.774 ship , uh , and were placed aboard 04:08.774 --> 04:10.997 other Russian Navy ships . I can't tell 04:10.997 --> 04:13.052 you if it's the whole crew . We just 04:13.052 --> 04:15.330 have a sense , we have assessment that , 04:15.330 --> 04:17.497 that some crew were evacuated from the 04:17.497 --> 04:19.990 ship . Um , and uh , we are this 04:19.990 --> 04:22.230 morning , we had assessed that the ship 04:22.230 --> 04:24.341 was underway under its own power . We 04:24.341 --> 04:26.119 are no longer able to make that 04:26.119 --> 04:28.590 certainty . Uh , today , this afternoon , 04:28.600 --> 04:31.640 we're not exactly sure that the ship is 04:31.640 --> 04:33.973 actually still able to make its own way . 04:34.030 --> 04:36.220 So that's the update . That's the best 04:36.230 --> 04:38.230 that we can provide you in terms of 04:38.230 --> 04:40.119 what we know and feel comfortable 04:40.119 --> 04:42.690 speaking to as for the impact on the 04:42.690 --> 04:45.340 Russian Navy . Um , that's a little 04:45.340 --> 04:47.618 difficult to know with great certitude . 04:47.618 --> 04:50.200 Um , they , they have and have had 04:50.210 --> 04:52.230 anywhere from a dozen to two dozen 04:52.230 --> 04:54.286 ships operating in the Black Sea and 04:54.286 --> 04:56.452 the sea of Azov since the beginning of 04:56.452 --> 04:59.120 this invasion . Um uh They are they 04:59.120 --> 05:01.500 have ports as you know , on the Black 05:01.500 --> 05:05.270 Sea . Uh So they historically have 05:05.270 --> 05:09.150 operated their um it's um it 05:09.150 --> 05:11.261 would be difficult to be able to tell 05:11.261 --> 05:13.261 you that this one ship being out of 05:13.261 --> 05:15.880 commission , um what exactly the impact 05:15.880 --> 05:18.102 is going to have . And the reason I say 05:18.102 --> 05:21.880 that is because the their their naval 05:21.890 --> 05:24.110 component here to the war has been 05:24.110 --> 05:26.860 fairly limited to two things . One 05:26.940 --> 05:29.051 cruise missile strikes inside Ukraine 05:29.051 --> 05:31.500 and to replenishment and resupply of 05:31.500 --> 05:33.611 their efforts in the , in the south . 05:33.611 --> 05:35.722 They've only conducted one amphibious 05:35.722 --> 05:37.889 landing and that was on an uncontested 05:37.889 --> 05:39.944 stretch of beach near burdens in the 05:39.944 --> 05:42.167 sea of Azov . Um And they hadn't really 05:42.167 --> 05:44.000 made any concerted naval efforts 05:44.000 --> 05:46.167 towards Odessa . So I guess it remains 05:46.167 --> 05:48.056 to be seen exactly what the major 05:48.056 --> 05:50.111 impact is going to be . Again . That 05:50.111 --> 05:52.167 said , this is a cruiser . They only 05:52.167 --> 05:54.333 have three in this class . It's a ship 05:54.333 --> 05:56.450 that is roughly 600 ft long and has a 05:56.450 --> 05:59.450 crew of almost 400 , I'm sorry , more 05:59.450 --> 06:02.740 than 400 , almost 500 sailors on board . 06:02.750 --> 06:05.240 Um and it's basically designed for air 06:05.240 --> 06:07.460 defense , that's uh that's what this 06:07.460 --> 06:09.682 ship is designed to do , not unlike our 06:09.682 --> 06:11.904 own cruisers . Um So it's going to have 06:11.904 --> 06:13.793 an impact on their capabilities , 06:13.793 --> 06:16.016 certainly in the near term , whether it 06:16.016 --> 06:17.627 has an impact on their naval 06:17.627 --> 06:17.620 capabilities in the long term , it's 06:17.620 --> 06:21.030 just , we're just unclear right now and 06:21.030 --> 06:23.950 we don't have uh as much as I'm , 06:23.960 --> 06:26.400 I know we'd like to have and you'd like 06:26.400 --> 06:28.289 us to have , we just don't have a 06:28.289 --> 06:30.511 better clearer sense of the damage done 06:30.511 --> 06:32.678 and what impact it's gonna have to the 06:32.678 --> 06:34.790 ship , the ship's future here in the 06:34.790 --> 06:36.846 near term , whether uh , whether she 06:36.846 --> 06:38.957 can and will be repaired and put back 06:38.957 --> 06:40.957 into service or not , we just don't 06:40.957 --> 06:44.850 know , David earlier today , defense 06:44.850 --> 06:47.017 officials said that other ships in the 06:47.017 --> 06:50.460 Black Sea had since this explosion move 06:50.840 --> 06:54.560 further away from the coast . Oh , 06:55.040 --> 06:58.230 for whatever reason , does that 06:58.240 --> 07:00.650 change the fact that these other ships 07:00.650 --> 07:02.928 have moved further away from the coast . 07:03.340 --> 07:05.410 Does that change their ability to 07:05.420 --> 07:08.380 launch cruise missiles against targets 07:08.380 --> 07:10.491 inside Ukraine ? Or are they still do 07:10.491 --> 07:13.260 it ? I wouldn't , 07:14.840 --> 07:16.951 I wouldn't take away from this , that 07:16.951 --> 07:19.062 the that that's gonna have a dramatic 07:19.062 --> 07:20.951 impact on their ability to launch 07:20.951 --> 07:23.118 surface cruise missiles into Ukraine . 07:23.118 --> 07:25.173 I mean , they have a long range as , 07:25.173 --> 07:27.396 you know , David . Um and the fact that 07:27.396 --> 07:29.507 some of them may have moved away from 07:29.507 --> 07:31.729 the Northern Black Sea away from Odessa 07:31.729 --> 07:33.784 and the coast doesn't mean that they 07:33.784 --> 07:36.007 are completely incapable of maneuvering 07:36.007 --> 07:38.007 to other parts of the Black Sea and 07:38.007 --> 07:40.118 launching cruise missiles . I I don't 07:40.118 --> 07:42.173 think we'd be willing to go that far 07:42.173 --> 07:44.229 just yet . Yeah . You know , we hear 07:44.229 --> 07:45.951 about the airspace still being 07:45.951 --> 07:48.173 contested sort of CFS of Northern Black 07:48.173 --> 07:50.396 Sea . Is that considered contested ? Is 07:50.396 --> 07:52.396 that Russian ? And what sort of the 07:52.396 --> 07:51.870 definition of that ? You mean the 07:51.870 --> 07:55.110 maritime environment ? I think um 07:56.640 --> 07:58.862 you would you would be going too far if 07:58.862 --> 08:02.110 you said , or we were to say that the 08:02.120 --> 08:04.176 northern areas of the Black Sea were 08:04.176 --> 08:06.064 not contested , that the that the 08:06.064 --> 08:08.064 Russians had freedom of maneuver uh 08:08.064 --> 08:10.710 completely inside the Black Sea . I 08:10.710 --> 08:12.932 think that would be going too far . The 08:12.932 --> 08:14.932 for a couple of reasons . One , the 08:14.932 --> 08:17.220 Ukrainian Navy though small , still has 08:17.220 --> 08:20.530 operating craft to uh they do have 08:20.530 --> 08:22.790 coastal defense capabilities . You saw 08:22.790 --> 08:24.901 the brits had given them some coastal 08:24.901 --> 08:27.520 defense missile capabilities . We in 08:27.520 --> 08:29.631 this latest package , you're offering 08:29.631 --> 08:31.820 them some coastal defense , unmanned 08:31.820 --> 08:35.740 surface capability . Um and three of 08:35.740 --> 08:38.820 the issue of mines . Uh we know that 08:38.820 --> 08:40.931 mines have been a factor particularly 08:40.931 --> 08:44.420 south of Odessa . Uh and that uh some 08:44.420 --> 08:46.660 of those mines uh could be free 08:46.660 --> 08:49.240 floating uh and therefore not not more 08:49.240 --> 08:51.407 to a specific area and therefore could 08:51.407 --> 08:54.600 affect a Navy's ability to to freely 08:54.600 --> 08:58.010 maneuver in that maritime space . Um So 08:58.020 --> 09:00.960 while they certainly from just a purely 09:00.960 --> 09:03.220 naval perspective , the Russians have 09:03.220 --> 09:05.560 superiority in the Black Sea to the 09:05.560 --> 09:08.680 Ukrainians . Um more ships , more 09:08.680 --> 09:11.060 firepower , certainly more naval 09:11.060 --> 09:13.750 capability . Um We would not assess 09:13.750 --> 09:16.380 that they have achieved , you know , 09:16.390 --> 09:19.040 complete freedom of movement . Um So 09:19.050 --> 09:22.650 again , they have used the 09:22.650 --> 09:25.060 maritime environment to strike inland . 09:25.540 --> 09:27.350 Um They have used the maritime 09:27.360 --> 09:30.520 environment to assault the mainland in 09:30.520 --> 09:32.790 terms of an amphibious assault and they 09:32.790 --> 09:34.901 have used the maritime environment to 09:34.901 --> 09:37.179 intimidate and in some cases to try to , 09:37.179 --> 09:39.830 we think in some cases try to pin down 09:39.830 --> 09:41.941 Ukrainian ground forces near Odessa , 09:42.300 --> 09:44.920 so they still have quite a bit of naval 09:44.920 --> 09:48.490 capability available to them when the 09:48.500 --> 09:50.920 embassy in Kiev was moved to levy and 09:50.920 --> 09:53.031 then and then to Poland , the marines 09:53.031 --> 09:55.310 obviously moved out as well . Um Are 09:55.310 --> 09:57.643 they still with the contingent of U . S . 09:57.643 --> 09:59.366 Diplomats in Poland or if they 09:59.366 --> 10:01.588 dispersed ? I guess what I'm getting at 10:01.588 --> 10:03.532 is the french have opened up their 10:03.532 --> 10:03.470 embassy or have said they're going to 10:03.470 --> 10:05.581 open up their embassy in Kiev . So if 10:05.581 --> 10:07.637 the US were to make that decision of 10:07.637 --> 10:09.637 the marines with the contingent and 10:09.637 --> 10:11.692 able to move out pretty quickly back 10:11.692 --> 10:13.859 into keep or how does it work ? Uh you 10:13.859 --> 10:16.081 know , I can't say definitively how how 10:16.081 --> 10:18.248 many of the marine security detachment 10:18.248 --> 10:20.280 is with the now displaced embassy 10:20.280 --> 10:22.280 personnel . I suspect that there is 10:22.280 --> 10:24.224 still some physical security being 10:24.224 --> 10:26.447 provided them even though they're in uh 10:26.447 --> 10:29.240 in Poland . Um And I don't want to get 10:29.240 --> 10:31.018 ahead of the State Department's 10:31.018 --> 10:33.129 decision about about their embassy in 10:33.129 --> 10:36.690 Kiev and and if and or when and and how 10:36.750 --> 10:38.972 they might think about reality . That's 10:38.972 --> 10:40.694 really something for the State 10:40.694 --> 10:42.806 Department to speak to . I would just 10:42.806 --> 10:44.972 tell you that without getting into the 10:44.972 --> 10:47.790 hypotheticals here ? Uh the marines are 10:47.790 --> 10:49.700 very proud of their security 10:49.710 --> 10:51.543 responsibilities with respect to 10:51.543 --> 10:53.488 embassies and posts all around the 10:53.488 --> 10:55.710 world and support to our diplomats . Um 10:55.710 --> 10:57.877 and uh that would be an active part of 10:57.877 --> 11:00.360 any consideration of bringing an 11:00.360 --> 11:02.560 embassy back up to speed . It would be 11:02.640 --> 11:04.751 force protection and security for our 11:04.751 --> 11:06.973 diplomats and clearly the Department of 11:06.973 --> 11:06.860 Defense would be a part of that 11:06.860 --> 11:08.582 discussion but there's been no 11:08.582 --> 11:12.160 decisions made . Um Tara , thanks john 11:12.360 --> 11:14.416 of the few cruise missiles that have 11:14.416 --> 11:16.582 been launched by the Russian navy into 11:16.582 --> 11:19.050 Ukraine . Can you tell us did these 11:19.050 --> 11:21.270 originate from the mosque or did some 11:21.270 --> 11:23.326 of them originate from the mosque to 11:23.326 --> 11:25.326 and then I have a couple others . I 11:25.326 --> 11:27.326 couldn't tell you for sure . I mean 11:27.326 --> 11:29.326 this is a cruiser by definition , I 11:29.326 --> 11:31.492 mean they could do a lot of things but 11:31.492 --> 11:33.326 they're basically an air defense 11:33.326 --> 11:35.326 platforms . So typically um they're 11:35.326 --> 11:37.437 designed for air defense purposes but 11:37.437 --> 11:40.000 I'm not suggesting that she wouldn't 11:40.000 --> 11:42.222 have offensive capabilities . We know , 11:42.222 --> 11:44.333 I would just tell you that we do know 11:44.333 --> 11:47.040 that some , not a lot but some cruise 11:47.040 --> 11:49.040 missile attacks inside Ukraine have 11:49.040 --> 11:51.262 emanated from surface combatants in the 11:51.262 --> 11:53.151 Black Sea and the sea of Azov ? I 11:53.151 --> 11:55.207 couldn't tell you whether the Moskva 11:55.207 --> 11:58.230 participated in that and how much and 11:58.230 --> 12:01.010 then just to others on the on the USPS 12:01.010 --> 12:02.843 that the US will be providing to 12:02.843 --> 12:05.890 Ukraine , will these unmanned surface 12:05.890 --> 12:08.120 vehicles be armed and kind of , what 12:08.120 --> 12:10.342 will their purpose or what will they be 12:10.342 --> 12:12.231 able to provide Ukraine ? They're 12:12.231 --> 12:14.120 designed to help Ukraine with its 12:14.120 --> 12:16.490 coastal defense needs . And I think I'm 12:16.490 --> 12:18.601 just gonna leave it at that . I'm not 12:18.601 --> 12:20.323 going to get into the specific 12:20.323 --> 12:22.490 capabilities , but they're designed to 12:22.490 --> 12:24.601 help Ukraine with its coastal defense 12:24.601 --> 12:26.768 needs . The as the next tranche of 800 12:26.768 --> 12:28.934 million goes in . Is there any concern 12:28.934 --> 12:30.990 that because these are more advanced 12:30.990 --> 12:33.212 weapons , Russia may contest the supply 12:33.212 --> 12:35.212 lines . Can all of the , have those 12:35.212 --> 12:37.434 supply lines remain uncontested to this 12:37.434 --> 12:39.546 point ? All I can do is tell you what 12:39.546 --> 12:41.712 we're seeing today and and and flights 12:41.712 --> 12:43.934 are still going into transhipment sites 12:43.934 --> 12:46.400 in the region . Um and ground movement 12:46.400 --> 12:49.280 is still occurring of this material 12:49.290 --> 12:53.120 inside Ukraine um that every 12:53.120 --> 12:55.980 single day there are security 12:55.980 --> 12:59.660 assistance weapons and material um and 12:59.660 --> 13:01.827 support equipment that is getting into 13:01.827 --> 13:04.550 Ukrainian hands . And as we've said 13:04.550 --> 13:06.772 before , we're gonna keep doing that as 13:06.772 --> 13:08.717 much as we can as fast as we can . 13:08.717 --> 13:10.606 There have been no uh we have not 13:11.040 --> 13:14.130 seeing any Russian efforts to interdict 13:14.130 --> 13:16.130 that flow . And so we're just gonna 13:16.130 --> 13:18.297 keep , we're gonna keep doing it . And 13:18.297 --> 13:20.408 as you know , we don't talk about the 13:20.408 --> 13:22.519 specifics of that flow so that we can 13:22.519 --> 13:24.408 preserve a measure of operational 13:24.408 --> 13:26.519 security and we constantly look at it 13:26.519 --> 13:28.352 every day monitor it , change it 13:28.352 --> 13:30.463 adapted as needed . Yeah , silly . Um 13:30.463 --> 13:34.270 you said that Russia is still naval 13:34.270 --> 13:37.140 superiority in the Black Sea just in 13:37.140 --> 13:38.807 terms of numbers of ships and 13:38.807 --> 13:40.973 capabilities . I think that's a that's 13:40.973 --> 13:43.084 a mathematical truth . Yeah . Do they 13:43.084 --> 13:45.420 block naval movements of other 13:45.430 --> 13:48.230 countries around the Black Sea Romania 13:48.240 --> 13:50.462 for example ? I'm not aware of anything 13:50.462 --> 13:53.230 that they've done to affect the other 13:53.230 --> 13:55.230 sovereign states on the Black Sea . 13:55.230 --> 13:57.330 They have blockaded Odessa . Clearly 13:57.330 --> 14:00.050 they have prevented Odessa from uh from 14:00.050 --> 14:03.770 its economic uh trade and and 14:03.770 --> 14:05.937 flow of maritime traffic in and out of 14:05.937 --> 14:08.103 Odessa . But I'm not aware of anything 14:08.103 --> 14:10.850 they've done to threaten or to propose 14:11.040 --> 14:13.130 a problem for the economies of other 14:13.130 --> 14:15.440 Black Sea nations . Thinking about the 14:15.440 --> 14:17.496 economy . I'm thinking about how you 14:17.496 --> 14:21.330 are going to give those unmanned 14:21.340 --> 14:25.020 defense costal shifts 14:25.030 --> 14:28.060 to to Ukraine . They have to go 14:28.060 --> 14:31.870 somewhere . Travis . Thanks 14:31.870 --> 14:35.360 john is there any update from you calm 14:35.370 --> 14:38.200 on the plan for U . S . Troops to train 14:38.200 --> 14:40.033 these Ukrainians on any of these 14:40.033 --> 14:42.500 systems ? I don't have any details to 14:42.500 --> 14:45.680 speak to today . Um uh as I said 14:45.680 --> 14:49.250 yesterday uh we're mindful of the clock 14:49.840 --> 14:52.360 and we're mindful that there will be a 14:52.840 --> 14:55.000 a basic fundamental training need for 14:55.000 --> 14:56.889 some of these systems . I want to 14:56.889 --> 14:58.889 stress Travis that as I tried to do 14:58.889 --> 15:01.650 yesterday perhaps not perfectly uh 15:02.240 --> 15:04.660 while some of these systems the radar 15:05.440 --> 15:08.060 the the howitzers will require some 15:08.060 --> 15:10.393 Familiarization and some basic training . 15:10.393 --> 15:12.980 It's not gonna it's not exorbitant . It 15:12.980 --> 15:14.869 won't take a long time . It won't 15:14.869 --> 15:17.530 require a large pool of trainees . Um 15:17.540 --> 15:21.040 We'll work it out , we'll try to get 15:21.050 --> 15:24.960 uh opportunities for a small number 15:24.960 --> 15:27.071 of Ukrainians to be familiarized with 15:27.071 --> 15:29.330 these systems but we don't believe that 15:29.340 --> 15:32.660 it's going to be an onerous task or or 15:32.660 --> 15:36.070 lengthy in time or in in resources . Um 15:36.080 --> 15:39.350 General Walters . Uh I was able to 15:39.350 --> 15:41.500 brief Secretary Austin just this 15:41.500 --> 15:43.740 morning on on his efforts to to work 15:43.740 --> 15:45.962 this out and and he's , believe me , he 15:45.962 --> 15:48.700 knows that that it's a requirement and 15:48.700 --> 15:50.644 he's and he's working on it . If I 15:50.644 --> 15:52.700 could just follow up , you mentioned 15:52.700 --> 15:54.756 the identification of the remains at 15:54.756 --> 15:56.589 the top of the briefing and this 15:56.589 --> 15:58.700 question may come out of left field a 15:58.700 --> 16:01.120 little bit but um there are still 16:01.120 --> 16:03.320 thousands of U . S . Service members 16:03.320 --> 16:05.542 missing in North Korea . And during the 16:05.542 --> 16:07.598 last administration there was really 16:07.598 --> 16:09.850 high profile return of remains from 16:09.850 --> 16:12.710 North Korea to the United States . I'm 16:12.710 --> 16:14.154 just wondering if if this 16:14.154 --> 16:16.310 administration still has that as a 16:16.320 --> 16:19.060 priority and if it's working that in 16:19.060 --> 16:21.760 any way or whether it looks at the 16:21.760 --> 16:23.760 situation with North Korea now it's 16:23.760 --> 16:25.760 just it's just being unrealistic to 16:25.760 --> 16:27.816 expect some kind of , yeah I'm gonna 16:27.816 --> 16:30.038 take half your question because I don't 16:30.038 --> 16:32.230 know what progress has been made with 16:32.230 --> 16:35.530 respect to the korean peninsula . Um So 16:35.530 --> 16:38.570 let me see if I can find out , I'll 16:38.570 --> 16:40.626 check with D . P . A . And see where 16:40.626 --> 16:42.930 that is but on the larger issue that 16:42.930 --> 16:45.152 you raised , it's absolutely a priority 16:45.152 --> 16:47.208 for the secretary . In fact , one of 16:47.208 --> 16:50.500 his uh one of his very early visits to 16:50.500 --> 16:53.440 Hawaii . He took time to go visit D . P . 16:53.440 --> 16:55.520 A . And talked to them about their 16:55.520 --> 16:57.742 recovery efforts and walked through the 16:57.742 --> 16:59.964 laboratory , talk to the scientists and 16:59.964 --> 17:02.076 the forensic experts . It was quite a 17:02.076 --> 17:03.990 fascinating day and he is 100% 17:03.990 --> 17:06.610 committed uh to doing everything that 17:06.610 --> 17:09.280 we can and he can to support D . P . A . 17:09.280 --> 17:11.280 In this mission . And it's it's not 17:11.280 --> 17:13.391 just Korea , it's it's it's Vietnam , 17:13.391 --> 17:15.502 it's it's from World War Two . I mean 17:15.502 --> 17:17.447 there's a lot of work that they're 17:17.447 --> 17:19.502 doing um and he's 100% supportive of 17:19.502 --> 17:22.490 that . He uh he certainly understands 17:22.490 --> 17:25.380 and respects the closure that this 17:25.390 --> 17:28.370 offers to two families of of the of the 17:28.370 --> 17:31.090 fallen and and and the lost . Um and 17:31.090 --> 17:33.140 it's it's it's an incredible effort 17:33.150 --> 17:35.010 that has spanned multiple 17:35.010 --> 17:37.288 administrations . Of course going back . 17:37.288 --> 17:39.399 So I can tell you he's 100% committed 17:39.399 --> 17:41.510 to that now , exactly what that looks 17:41.510 --> 17:43.732 like on the Korean peninsula . I'd have 17:43.732 --> 17:45.732 to get you a better answer . Yeah , 17:45.732 --> 17:47.843 thank you , john I got my audience in 17:47.843 --> 17:50.066 Ukraine . So I got a question on behalf 17:50.066 --> 17:52.288 of my audience . You know , people just 17:52.288 --> 17:54.343 started to return to keith right now 17:54.343 --> 17:53.920 because the Western embassies are 17:53.920 --> 17:55.920 returning to . It's a good sign and 17:55.920 --> 17:58.340 right now , people are just concerned . 17:58.340 --> 18:00.173 So very much and I spoke with my 18:00.173 --> 18:02.284 colleagues on the ground , I spoke to 18:02.284 --> 18:04.340 politicians today about this Russian 18:04.340 --> 18:06.451 military threat to strike . Ukrainian 18:06.451 --> 18:08.451 decision making centers , including 18:08.451 --> 18:10.284 those in Kiev possibly means the 18:10.284 --> 18:12.229 Minister of Defense possibly means 18:12.229 --> 18:14.396 office of the president . So could you 18:14.396 --> 18:16.820 share your assessment firstly ? Or is 18:16.820 --> 18:19.870 Russia from militarily point of view 18:19.960 --> 18:22.450 able to do it ? And secondly , if it 18:22.450 --> 18:24.783 will happen and Ukraine will , you know , 18:24.783 --> 18:26.770 strike back , might it be the 18:26.770 --> 18:29.103 significant escalation of the situation ? 18:29.240 --> 18:31.700 So , I mean , the first answer to your 18:31.700 --> 18:33.811 question is is yes , of course Russia 18:33.811 --> 18:36.033 still has the capability to strike . IV 18:36.033 --> 18:38.930 I mean even as we started to see their 18:38.930 --> 18:42.850 troops retreat from Kiev and china , he 18:42.850 --> 18:46.230 from the north . I said many times that 18:46.230 --> 18:49.730 we do not believe that Kiev was no 18:49.730 --> 18:51.952 longer under threat , particularly from 18:51.952 --> 18:54.174 airstrikes . I mean , we said that many 18:54.174 --> 18:56.452 times in the early stages of this , uh , 18:56.452 --> 18:58.730 this retreat and this repositioning of , 18:58.730 --> 19:01.310 of Russian troops . The Russians still 19:01.310 --> 19:04.780 have uh long range airstrike capability 19:05.050 --> 19:06.883 available to them , whether it's 19:06.883 --> 19:09.560 through missiles or from air launched 19:09.640 --> 19:12.720 cruise missiles , um they I'm sorry , 19:12.720 --> 19:14.664 ballistic missiles or air launched 19:14.664 --> 19:16.831 cruise missiles , they still have that 19:16.831 --> 19:19.053 capability available to them . We never 19:19.053 --> 19:21.690 for a moment . Um even as the Russians 19:21.690 --> 19:22.912 began to reposition , 19:26.240 --> 19:28.770 I felt that Kiev wasn't potentially 19:28.770 --> 19:31.710 still under threat . I won't I can't 19:31.720 --> 19:34.040 and won't speak to specific 19:34.050 --> 19:36.272 intelligence assessments about what the 19:36.272 --> 19:39.690 likelihood is here , but but we but 19:39.690 --> 19:42.030 we're mindful that that not just key 19:42.030 --> 19:44.252 but other cities in Ukraine could still 19:44.252 --> 19:46.419 come under threat from uh from Russian 19:46.419 --> 19:48.697 air attacks and missile strikes . Okay . 19:48.940 --> 19:50.960 Yeah . You know , it's kind of 19:50.960 --> 19:53.280 surprising that if Russia still has 19:53.280 --> 19:55.447 such strong capabilities to be able to 19:55.447 --> 19:57.502 strike and keep and elsewhere is the 19:57.502 --> 19:59.558 pentagon surprised that they haven't 19:59.558 --> 19:59.280 tried to make an attempt on these 19:59.280 --> 20:01.690 weapons convoys ? And is it was that 20:01.700 --> 20:03.867 part of the calculus going in of where 20:03.867 --> 20:05.867 these weapons are going in that the 20:05.867 --> 20:07.811 possibility that the Russians , we 20:07.811 --> 20:09.589 don't take uh we don't take any 20:09.589 --> 20:13.350 movement of weapons and systems 20:13.350 --> 20:15.460 going into Ukraine for granted . Not 20:15.470 --> 20:18.030 not on any given day . And that's why 20:18.040 --> 20:19.929 we're very careful about how much 20:19.929 --> 20:22.151 information we put out there about it . 20:22.151 --> 20:24.320 That's why that we uh were careful to 20:24.320 --> 20:26.653 modulate that activity on any given day . 20:26.653 --> 20:28.764 We're not taking it for granted . And 20:28.764 --> 20:30.709 frankly neither are the Ukrainians 20:30.709 --> 20:32.931 either . Um we we get these things into 20:32.931 --> 20:35.200 their hands . Uh and and uh and and 20:35.200 --> 20:37.478 they're moving it inside their country . 20:37.478 --> 20:40.100 Uh and uh I think the the less we say 20:40.100 --> 20:43.960 about that , the better , Yeah , 20:44.380 --> 20:46.324 john Ukraine says it reclaimed the 20:46.324 --> 20:48.158 checkpoint along the border with 20:48.158 --> 20:50.269 Belarus . So how important would that 20:50.269 --> 20:52.324 move be at this current stage in the 20:52.324 --> 20:54.269 war ? And is Belarus still hosting 20:54.269 --> 20:56.380 those Russian soldiers , not only to 20:56.380 --> 20:58.547 resupply but redeploy them . I haven't 20:58.547 --> 21:01.120 seen the report that they retaken a 21:01.120 --> 21:03.231 checkpoint . So it's difficult for me 21:03.231 --> 21:05.860 to um to go into much detail about that 21:05.860 --> 21:08.210 we have not seen continued to not to 21:08.210 --> 21:11.800 have not seen um tangible efforts by 21:11.800 --> 21:15.020 Belarus to involve their troops inside 21:15.020 --> 21:17.780 Ukraine . Now that said they have 21:17.780 --> 21:19.780 housed Russian troops on their soil 21:19.780 --> 21:21.700 continue to do so today they have 21:21.700 --> 21:23.811 allowed missile strikes to occur from 21:23.811 --> 21:25.756 their soil . They have allowed for 21:25.756 --> 21:27.811 airstrikes to be launched from their 21:27.811 --> 21:29.978 soil so that clearly they are enabling 21:29.978 --> 21:32.210 the Russian invasion inside Ukraine . 21:32.210 --> 21:34.350 But in terms of their actual forces 21:34.350 --> 21:36.517 being involved , we just have not seen 21:36.517 --> 21:38.683 that . And again , I haven't seen this 21:38.683 --> 21:40.739 report . So it's difficult for me to 21:40.739 --> 21:42.517 assess the significance of this 21:42.517 --> 21:45.350 checkpoint , but it certainly wouldn't 21:45.350 --> 21:48.530 surprise me given that once that as the 21:48.530 --> 21:50.863 Russians were retreating from the north , 21:50.863 --> 21:53.030 the Ukrainians were in hot pursuit and 21:53.030 --> 21:55.260 and doing the best they could to to to 21:55.260 --> 21:57.316 make that retreat more difficult for 21:57.316 --> 21:59.410 the Russians more hasty than I think 21:59.410 --> 22:01.632 they wanted it to be . Um and of course 22:01.632 --> 22:04.020 they they had to do a significant 22:04.020 --> 22:06.350 amount of clearance because of concerns 22:06.350 --> 22:10.230 for for landmines . Yeah . Mike Stone 22:10.230 --> 22:14.100 and Reuters , it was just yesterday 22:14.100 --> 22:16.350 that's all I just didn't know . Just 22:16.350 --> 22:18.980 reminding . But I got it in your face 22:18.980 --> 22:21.036 is burned on my brain . Mike stone . 22:21.036 --> 22:23.202 Reuters got it go ahead . Mike Stone . 22:23.202 --> 22:25.369 Yesterday's package didn't include any 22:25.369 --> 22:28.710 Stinger missiles . Is there a reason 22:28.710 --> 22:30.821 for that ? Did the Ukrainians rescind 22:30.821 --> 22:34.080 their request for Stingers or has the 22:34.080 --> 22:36.247 United States par stock been reached ? 22:36.247 --> 22:38.720 No , no , no , no . Again , every 22:38.720 --> 22:41.170 shipment is based on consultations that 22:41.170 --> 22:42.892 we're having directly with the 22:42.892 --> 22:44.726 Ukrainians I think you know , we 22:44.726 --> 22:46.781 detailed for you pretty specifically 22:46.781 --> 22:49.800 what was in this $800 million . Um and 22:49.810 --> 22:51.810 these were these were items that we 22:51.810 --> 22:54.160 knew uh and that Ukrainians made clear 22:54.160 --> 22:56.160 that they that they wanted . I mean 22:56.160 --> 22:59.080 we'll have some uh later after the 22:59.080 --> 23:01.247 briefing today . I think we'll be able 23:01.247 --> 23:03.191 to give you an update on the total 23:03.191 --> 23:05.136 numbers of things that we provided 23:05.136 --> 23:07.136 including Stingers . And you'll see 23:07.136 --> 23:10.310 that it's it's quite a lot . Um and um 23:10.320 --> 23:13.390 I would not rule out going forward in 23:13.390 --> 23:16.660 future drawdown packages or deliveries 23:16.670 --> 23:18.892 of security assistance that there might 23:18.892 --> 23:21.059 be additional Stingers going forward . 23:21.059 --> 23:23.281 But this package was very much tailored 23:23.281 --> 23:26.300 in consultation with the Ukrainians on 23:26.310 --> 23:29.560 what they believed they needed 23:29.940 --> 23:31.829 specifically for the fight in the 23:31.829 --> 23:33.607 Donbas . And as we talked about 23:33.607 --> 23:35.718 yesterday , given the terrain , given 23:35.718 --> 23:37.940 the kinds of reinforcements , given the 23:37.940 --> 23:40.162 kinds of capabilities that the Russians 23:40.162 --> 23:42.218 bless you are beginning to push into 23:42.218 --> 23:45.550 that region . Things like artillery and 23:45.550 --> 23:48.090 counter artillery , radar . Uh , those 23:48.090 --> 23:50.034 were some of the big items that we 23:50.034 --> 23:52.201 really believe were most important for 23:52.201 --> 23:54.423 this next tranche , but I wouldn't rule 23:54.423 --> 23:56.534 out additional deliveries of Stingers 23:56.534 --> 23:59.660 going forward . Yeah . Um I wanted to 23:59.660 --> 24:01.771 follow up and click on your answer to 24:01.771 --> 24:04.520 embrace on the embassy . You said , you 24:04.520 --> 24:06.980 know because of marines providing 24:06.980 --> 24:09.380 security . That this you're the Defense 24:09.380 --> 24:11.158 Department would be part of any 24:11.158 --> 24:13.213 discussions but that no decision has 24:13.213 --> 24:15.310 been made . So to make sure I 24:15.310 --> 24:18.620 understand . Yes there are discussions 24:18.620 --> 24:22.060 about when if how to reopen the embassy . 24:22.640 --> 24:24.751 I'd refer you to my colleagues at the 24:24.751 --> 24:26.973 State Department said that you would be 24:26.973 --> 24:28.807 part of these discussions but no 24:28.807 --> 24:30.918 decision has been made . Can you tell 24:30.918 --> 24:33.140 us if you are discussing it with them , 24:33.140 --> 24:34.862 I would refer you to the State 24:34.862 --> 24:37.084 Department . My other question is yet , 24:37.084 --> 24:39.307 can't say his name . Pierrot said today 24:39.340 --> 24:42.500 that Russia would significantly bolster 24:42.500 --> 24:44.930 its western flank and start moving 24:44.930 --> 24:47.400 things weapons there . If Finland and 24:47.400 --> 24:49.344 Sweden were to join NATO and I was 24:49.344 --> 24:51.567 wondering if you had any update whether 24:51.567 --> 24:54.410 you yet see Russia moving weaponry 24:54.420 --> 24:56.531 towards that flank . I don't have any 24:56.531 --> 24:59.960 update for you on that . Yeah joe 25:01.240 --> 25:04.590 thanks . The president used his 25:04.600 --> 25:06.767 drawdown authority several times now . 25:06.767 --> 25:08.790 I think it might be seven um to 25:08.800 --> 25:10.690 transfer us military equipment to 25:10.690 --> 25:14.470 Ukraine from us stockpiles and to 25:14.470 --> 25:16.526 follow up on your answer yesterday . 25:16.526 --> 25:18.970 You said that they aren't yet at unsafe 25:18.970 --> 25:21.750 levels . Can you share the metric for 25:21.750 --> 25:24.180 that assessment ? We're gonna be 25:24.180 --> 25:26.347 careful about that , joe . I think you 25:26.347 --> 25:29.330 can imagine um uh I would just tell you 25:29.330 --> 25:31.441 that this is something we're watching 25:31.441 --> 25:33.980 you every single day and it's one of 25:33.980 --> 25:36.147 the reasons why we wanted to have that 25:36.147 --> 25:38.210 roundtable yesterday with Ceos . I'm 25:38.210 --> 25:40.377 not going to get into specific metrics 25:40.377 --> 25:42.599 but I can assure you that we are not at 25:42.599 --> 25:44.543 the point where our inventories of 25:44.543 --> 25:48.120 these systems have have have or will 25:48.130 --> 25:50.830 imminently affect our readiness . We're 25:50.830 --> 25:52.886 watching this literally every single 25:52.886 --> 25:55.052 day . Um , and we don't want to get to 25:55.052 --> 25:57.450 a point where that becomes an issue , 25:57.460 --> 25:59.571 which is again one of the reasons why 25:59.571 --> 26:01.682 we , we had this discussion yesterday 26:01.682 --> 26:03.849 with the C E O s were comfortable that 26:03.849 --> 26:06.140 our stocks are , are in keeping with 26:06.140 --> 26:08.250 our readiness needs . Um , but we 26:08.260 --> 26:10.980 obviously know that as these packages 26:10.980 --> 26:13.970 go on and as the need continues inside 26:13.970 --> 26:16.210 Ukraine , we want to lead turn that we 26:16.210 --> 26:18.210 want to be ahead of the bow wave on 26:18.210 --> 26:20.377 that and not get into a point where it 26:20.377 --> 26:22.488 becomes readiness issue to that end . 26:22.488 --> 26:24.710 Um , will the secretary be recommending 26:24.710 --> 26:26.580 at any point that the defense 26:26.580 --> 26:28.530 production act be used to ramp up 26:28.540 --> 26:31.360 production ? I don't , I don't have 26:31.360 --> 26:33.360 anything to predict with respect to 26:33.360 --> 26:35.770 that joe , I'm not anticipating that . 26:35.840 --> 26:37.784 Um , and obviously that would be a 26:37.784 --> 26:39.840 discussion between the president and 26:39.840 --> 26:41.951 the secretary , but I know of no such 26:41.951 --> 26:44.062 discussions on that right now jenny , 26:44.062 --> 26:46.360 thank you john , I have expectations on 26:46.740 --> 26:50.410 North Korea . Russia sounds good . 26:51.740 --> 26:55.420 Recently . The Russian defense minister 26:55.490 --> 26:58.670 has asked those current leader kim jong 26:58.670 --> 27:01.500 un to provide the missiles , 27:01.710 --> 27:05.340 ammunition weapons to use for 27:05.350 --> 27:09.060 Ukraine world . What can you say 27:09.440 --> 27:13.170 about military cooperation between 27:13.640 --> 27:17.130 there's korean , I don't have much 27:17.140 --> 27:20.060 context on any cooperation between 27:20.600 --> 27:23.950 North Korea and Russia have 27:25.340 --> 27:27.560 obviously we wouldn't , 27:29.740 --> 27:33.380 we wouldn't approve of any 27:33.380 --> 27:35.880 nation providing material support to 27:35.880 --> 27:37.936 Russia in this invasion of Ukraine . 27:38.040 --> 27:41.560 But North Korea and china , excuse me . 27:42.940 --> 27:46.620 They support economic and military . 27:48.060 --> 27:51.560 So it can be a affected the more 27:52.240 --> 27:55.900 strong world in Ukraine . It affected 27:55.900 --> 27:59.490 the korean peninsula . How did you 27:59.500 --> 28:03.350 estimate ? Yeah , again , we , I 28:03.350 --> 28:05.294 have , let me put it this way . We 28:05.294 --> 28:07.500 haven't seen any tangible support from 28:07.500 --> 28:09.611 either china or North Korea to Russia 28:09.740 --> 28:13.680 0.1 .2 . We in addition to 28:13.680 --> 28:15.902 doing everything we can to help Ukraine 28:15.902 --> 28:17.513 defend itself , we also have 28:17.513 --> 28:19.736 responsibilities in South Korea to help 28:19.736 --> 28:21.847 the South Koreans defend themselves . 28:21.847 --> 28:23.870 Um and to reinforce our security 28:23.870 --> 28:26.092 commitments on the Korean peninsula and 28:26.092 --> 28:28.259 we're still very able and very capable 28:28.259 --> 28:31.790 of doing that . South Korea . Excuse me . 28:31.800 --> 28:34.860 Because I haven't with the 28:35.240 --> 28:39.220 aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is 28:39.220 --> 28:42.170 in Korea right now in korean peninsula 28:42.530 --> 28:46.420 with this Abraham Lincoln joint U . 28:46.420 --> 28:49.730 S . And South Korea doing exercises 28:49.730 --> 28:53.720 next week or why they coming to the 28:53.940 --> 28:56.410 korean peninsula . It's not uncommon 28:56.410 --> 28:59.040 for us aircraft carriers to to steam in 28:59.040 --> 29:01.480 that part of the world . Um Not unusual 29:01.480 --> 29:03.591 at all . I don't have anything on the 29:03.591 --> 29:05.758 Lincoln scheduled to speak to today or 29:05.758 --> 29:07.924 what exercises you might contribute to 29:07.960 --> 29:10.071 refer to the U . S . Forces Korea for 29:10.071 --> 29:12.293 that . But look , freedom of navigation 29:12.293 --> 29:14.580 is freedom of navigation and our 29:14.590 --> 29:17.930 carriers demonstrate uh significant 29:17.940 --> 29:20.490 maritime power all over the world . 29:20.490 --> 29:22.601 It's not uncommon for them to operate 29:22.601 --> 29:26.290 in those waters . The mosque was the 29:26.300 --> 29:29.120 flagship of the Black Sea fleet . Do 29:29.120 --> 29:31.176 you know the identity of the Admiral 29:31.176 --> 29:34.020 whose flag it was And what I've seen 29:34.030 --> 29:35.030 I've seen 29:37.140 --> 29:40.390 I've seen colloquial comments about her 29:40.390 --> 29:42.612 being the the flagship of the Black Sea 29:42.612 --> 29:44.723 fleet . I have nothing to corroborate 29:44.723 --> 29:46.946 that she was in fact a real flagship in 29:46.946 --> 29:49.168 the way that we consider a flagship . I 29:49.168 --> 29:51.390 mean she's obviously it's a cruiser and 29:51.390 --> 29:53.446 and and probably the biggest surface 29:53.446 --> 29:55.557 combatant that they have in the Black 29:55.557 --> 29:57.779 Sea at this point . Um And there's only 29:57.779 --> 29:57.750 you know there's only three in that 29:57.750 --> 29:59.780 class . So they the Russians didn't 29:59.780 --> 30:01.947 make a lot of them but whether she was 30:01.947 --> 30:04.100 an actual flagship with an actual 30:04.100 --> 30:06.100 Admiral and staff aboard the way we 30:06.100 --> 30:08.156 conceive of it , I just don't know . 30:08.156 --> 30:12.020 Yeah . Yeah . Really I want to 30:12.030 --> 30:14.440 ask you about the security deal between 30:14.450 --> 30:17.120 China and the Solomon island . The 30:17.130 --> 30:19.160 diplomatic efforts are ongoing to 30:19.170 --> 30:21.210 encourage the Solomon islands to 30:21.210 --> 30:23.840 reconsider reconsider the deal . So 30:23.840 --> 30:26.470 from the military perspective , do you 30:26.470 --> 30:29.110 think this security deal is a part of 30:29.120 --> 30:32.620 china's broad effort to project 30:32.630 --> 30:34.797 power beyond the second island chain ? 30:35.140 --> 30:37.251 It certainly could be . I I refer you 30:37.251 --> 30:39.362 to the State Department more for more 30:39.362 --> 30:41.584 details . Um I would just tell you that 30:41.584 --> 30:43.473 we do understand that the Solomon 30:43.473 --> 30:45.251 Islands and the P . R . C . R . 30:45.251 --> 30:47.251 Discussing a broad security related 30:47.251 --> 30:49.473 agreement . Um The broad nature of that 30:49.473 --> 30:51.584 agreement itself leaves open the door 30:51.584 --> 30:53.584 for the potential deployment of PRC 30:53.584 --> 30:55.862 military forces to the Solomon Islands , 30:55.862 --> 30:58.084 Solomon Islands . Excuse me . Uh And we 30:58.084 --> 31:00.251 believe that signing such an agreement 31:00.251 --> 31:02.473 could actually increase destabilization 31:02.473 --> 31:04.529 within the Solomon Islands and could 31:04.529 --> 31:06.473 set a concerning president for the 31:06.473 --> 31:09.070 wider pacific island region . So I mean 31:09.070 --> 31:11.237 obviously we're concerned about this . 31:11.237 --> 31:13.181 Okay , let me go to the phones . I 31:13.181 --> 31:15.237 haven't done that very much . Jeff . 31:15.237 --> 31:17.403 Seigel . Happy birthday , Jeff , thank 31:17.403 --> 31:19.237 you very much . The Air Force is 31:19.237 --> 31:22.440 helping families of transgender , gay 31:22.440 --> 31:25.150 and Children who are in states that 31:25.150 --> 31:27.630 have passed anti gay and trans laws 31:27.630 --> 31:30.190 like florida Alabama and texas . And 31:30.200 --> 31:32.422 I'm wondering is the Defense Department 31:32.422 --> 31:34.470 coming up with any policies to help 31:34.470 --> 31:38.390 military families who feel that the who 31:38.390 --> 31:40.450 live in states that have passed laws 31:40.450 --> 31:42.672 like this , Jeff ? I'm not aware of any 31:42.672 --> 31:44.728 departmental wide policies . I think 31:44.728 --> 31:48.240 what the Air Force did was uh was 31:48.250 --> 31:50.510 communicate to airmen and their 31:50.510 --> 31:53.500 families that if they needed any 31:53.500 --> 31:57.170 assistance or advice or counsel um um 31:57.180 --> 32:00.050 as they transferred from base to base 32:00.240 --> 32:02.500 uh that there was a set of resources 32:02.500 --> 32:06.350 available to them . Carla bob . 32:06.360 --> 32:10.100 D . O . A . Hey thanks john um like 32:10.100 --> 32:12.870 barb I am interested in Russia's threat 32:12.870 --> 32:15.110 to deploy nuclear weapons . Um and 32:15.110 --> 32:17.166 around the Baltic should Finland and 32:17.166 --> 32:20.780 Sweden join NATO . How concerning is 32:20.780 --> 32:24.740 this threat to the pentagon ? And also 32:24.750 --> 32:27.900 Medvedev was claiming that Russia was 32:27.900 --> 32:30.110 not to blame for this . What would he 32:30.110 --> 32:32.054 say about that ? Sorry , that's my 32:32.054 --> 32:34.480 daughter . Sounds like you you've got a 32:34.480 --> 32:36.702 bit of an armed conflict going on there 32:36.702 --> 32:40.350 at home ? Are you okay ? We are okay . 32:40.360 --> 32:42.416 That is what happens when you try to 32:42.416 --> 32:44.471 lock your office door and you have a 32:44.471 --> 32:47.490 four year old did not sound nonviolent . 32:48.040 --> 32:51.970 Um , oh man , I 32:51.970 --> 32:54.081 gotta get my brains wrapped around us 32:54.081 --> 32:56.192 again . Um , uh , look , we obviously 32:56.192 --> 32:58.820 take , uh , any potential nuclear 32:58.820 --> 33:00.931 threat very , very seriously . And we 33:00.931 --> 33:03.098 noted early on in the conflict when Mr 33:03.098 --> 33:06.200 Putin decided to uh , to offer some 33:06.200 --> 33:08.144 bellicose rhetoric with respect to 33:08.144 --> 33:10.367 nuclear capabilities . That we noted at 33:10.367 --> 33:12.533 the time that we took that seriously . 33:12.533 --> 33:14.756 Um , and that we continue to monitor it 33:14.756 --> 33:18.210 as best we can . Um , so with respect 33:18.210 --> 33:20.050 to any recent rhetoric , we're 33:20.050 --> 33:22.383 obviously watching that very closely to , 33:22.383 --> 33:24.661 I would just tell you again two things . 33:24.661 --> 33:27.240 Our strategic nuclear deterrent posture 33:27.240 --> 33:29.407 is something that the secretary checks 33:29.407 --> 33:31.351 in on every single day . It is not 33:31.351 --> 33:33.407 something that we take for granted . 33:33.407 --> 33:35.629 And number two , we have , we have seen 33:35.629 --> 33:37.660 nothing uh , in the space out there 33:37.660 --> 33:41.530 that , that that has given us , uh , 33:41.540 --> 33:44.910 cause uh , to change that posture , uh , 33:44.920 --> 33:47.290 in any tangible way whatsoever . So 33:47.290 --> 33:49.457 we're watching this every single day , 33:49.730 --> 33:52.510 Tony to paseo . Hi john , I want to go 33:52.510 --> 33:54.566 back to the unmanned coastal defense 33:54.566 --> 33:57.200 ships . A senior defense official told 33:57.200 --> 33:59.730 reporters today that Ukraine officers 33:59.730 --> 34:02.008 in the US have already trained on them . 34:02.008 --> 34:04.063 A couple questions for you . Are the 34:04.063 --> 34:06.230 vehicles ? Are the vessels coming from 34:06.230 --> 34:08.452 navy prototype programs . when are they 34:08.452 --> 34:10.760 expected to arrive in Ukraine waters ? 34:11.240 --> 34:13.462 And third are they designed or intended 34:13.462 --> 34:15.900 to attack Russian vessels like the 34:15.900 --> 34:18.570 cruiser moskva . You don't have a 34:18.580 --> 34:20.802 shipment details for you . As I said at 34:20.802 --> 34:22.969 the very top of the briefing . Um , as 34:22.969 --> 34:25.024 I can get you more information about 34:25.024 --> 34:27.080 actual deliveries will do that . I'm 34:27.080 --> 34:29.302 just not in a position to do that . The 34:29.302 --> 34:31.469 authorization just came down yesterday 34:31.469 --> 34:33.691 and we're working very hard at sourcing 34:33.691 --> 34:35.747 these things and getting them on the 34:35.747 --> 34:37.969 way to Ukraine as quickly as possible . 34:37.969 --> 34:37.390 I'm not going to talk about the 34:37.390 --> 34:39.557 specific capabilities of these U . S . 34:39.557 --> 34:41.668 V . S . I've talked about them to the 34:41.668 --> 34:43.723 degree that we're going to go . Um , 34:43.723 --> 34:46.030 and they are designed to help Ukraine 34:46.030 --> 34:47.990 with its coastal defense , coastal 34:47.990 --> 34:50.101 defenses . Something that Ukraine has 34:50.101 --> 34:52.323 repeatedly said they're interested in , 34:52.323 --> 34:55.240 It is particularly an acute need now as 34:55.250 --> 34:58.240 um , as we see , the Russians really 34:58.240 --> 35:00.351 refocus their efforts on the east and 35:00.351 --> 35:02.573 the south . And of course when you talk 35:02.573 --> 35:04.684 about the east and the south , you're 35:04.684 --> 35:04.270 talking about the sea of Azov in the 35:04.270 --> 35:06.492 maritime environment and you're talking 35:06.492 --> 35:08.714 about the northern Black Sea . So these 35:08.714 --> 35:11.130 uh , these capabilities will be uh , we 35:11.130 --> 35:13.860 hope helpful in their coastal defense 35:13.860 --> 35:16.027 needs and I really think that's as far 35:16.027 --> 35:17.916 as I'm going to go on it . Okay , 35:17.916 --> 35:20.138 thanks everybody appreciate it . We are 35:20.138 --> 35:23.450 not briefing tomorrow . Um , given the 35:23.460 --> 35:25.516 holiday weekend coming up ? So we'll 35:25.516 --> 35:26.470 see you guys on monday .