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afternoon everybody . Okay . Um 

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I think earlier you saw today that the 

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secretary had a phone call with the 

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spanish Minister of Defense . Thank you 

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margarita margarita robles to 

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discuss security assistance for Ukraine . 

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He thanked the Minister for spanish 

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spanish contributions to NATO's eastern 

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flank and spanish security assistance 

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has been provided to Ukraine . He also 

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noted that allied support is is making 

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a difference in terms of the 

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battlefield progress for the Ukrainians 

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uh and who continue to fight 

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courageously to defend their country . 

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And of course the leaders agreed to 

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stay in touch and we'll have a fuller 

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read out later . I also want to note 

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scheduling wise , the secretary will be 

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welcoming his polish counterpart here 

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at the building tomorrow for a 

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bilateral meeting of course focused on 

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Ukraine and then again on thursday with 

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his Czech counterpart uh here in the 

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building for another bilateral 

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discussion . Again focused very much so 

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not only on our relationships with 

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these individual countries but of 

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course what's going on in Ukraine ? And 

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obviously we'll provide you read out 

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information of those okay with that . 

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We'll go to questions bob . Thank you . 

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I just wanna have you given the update 

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on the status of the plans for training 

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in europe for Ukrainians on the 

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howitzers and radars and some of the 

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other items from this latest package . 

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And also I know you're just getting 

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started on the latest package but is 

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there a room secretaries Austin mind is 

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there room to expand even further ? The 

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kinds of assistance that can be given 

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to Ukraine that would be suitable for 

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this new offensive that the Russians 

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are conducting the down . But um , so a 

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couple of spots where I don't have any 

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updates for you on the on the training , 

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on the , how it's our training , there 

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is a there is a plan in place and we're 

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we're beginning to execute that plan to 

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get that training done again . It will 

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be for a a fairly limited amount of of 

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Ukrainian trainers that will then go in 

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and uh and train their colleagues . 

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It'll be outside the country , but 

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right now we're just not in a position 

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where we can sort of detail a lot of 

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this , but but there , but but the 

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plans in place and we expect to be able 

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to get that training accomplished 

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very very soon uh in a matter of days . 

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And again , I think we'll be able to 

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have more more to talk about a little 

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bit later in the week on that . Um And 

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as for what's in the uh drawdown 

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package , I think , you know , you saw 

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we detailed all the items that are 

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going into that and that and we're and 

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we're focused right now on sourcing 

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those items um , on the howitzer 

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specifically . I think that you'll see 

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them move very very soon . Uh I don't 

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have any shipments to speak to today , 

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but I think you'll see them move very 

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very soon as well as the the ammunition 

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that goes with them . Um and as I think 

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I said yesterday , you know , we've 

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we've definitely sourced the 18 , we 

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know where they're coming from . Um , 

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it's really just a matter now of 

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getting them packaged up and getting 

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them on the way that we come in from 

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the United States . And again , I think 

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it's it's really very , very soon . 

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Matter matter of a matter of days here . 

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Um , and the same for the ammunition , 

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we believe , we'll be able to pull 

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virtually all of that out of pre 

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positioned stocks that are already in 

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europe . So it won't take very long to 

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get the artillery around where they 

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need to , where they need to go . And 

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as for the other systems , I don't have 

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any um specific training scenarios to 

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speak to , with respect to the the two 

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radars , the two portable radar radar 

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systems that we are providing Ukraine . 

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Again , we don't believe that . And in 

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those cases that there's there's gonna 

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be any anywhere near an onerous 

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training process for that . These are 

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counter artillery radar and a portable 

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air defense radar system , the sentinel 

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which you tow behind a vehicle . Uh , 

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it's uh , it's not equipment that the 

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Ukrainians intrinsically know how to 

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use , but we don't believe it's going 

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to take very long to get them the 

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proper Familiarization . I just don't 

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have any plans on that to talk about . 

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My other question was about whether 

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you're considering a wider array of , 

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of weaponry or other kinds of support 

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beyond this for this pack for this 

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package that we're working on now , 

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We're working on the systems we already 

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announced that are part of that . And 

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to answer , I think to answer your 

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question , they are exactly the kinds 

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of systems the Ukrainians have been 

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asking for and they are tailored and 

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designed the things that we're giving 

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them tailored and designed for the 

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fight that we know they're in now in 

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the Donbas and and and will be in 

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coming days and weeks . So , I mean 

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artillery , the radar systems , uh , 

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the coastal defense unmanned systems 

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that we're talking about as well as 

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again , continued deliveries of small 

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arms and ammunition , which I know 

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doesn't get the attention of everybody , 

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but it is still a vital , vital 

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contribution in terms of the security 

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assistance packages we've been 

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providing since the invasion . Uh , we 

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have helped deliver not just from our 

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stocks but from stocks of other nations , 

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more than 50 million rounds of small 

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arms ammunition of various calibers 50 

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million . Um , and that's the kind of 

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stuff that the Ukrainians are literally 

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using every single day since this 

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invasion began . So all of that will 

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also be factored into this , this 

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package going forward . That's what I 

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was trying to get at was the Ukrainians 

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are also asking for other things . But 

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beyond that . I mean , I'm talking 

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about tanks , aircraft and I know 

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you've talked about this before , but 

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are you reconsidering any of those 

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sorts of things ? It's not about 

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reconsidering bob . I mean , they they 

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have they have received tanks from 

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other nations . I mean the kinds of 

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tanks that they know how to use are not 

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the tanks that we have in our in our 

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inventory , but other nations have 

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provided uh some some tanks , some 

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nations have provided spare parts so 

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that they can get their inoperable 

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tanks operable again . Um And I would 

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say the same on on aircraft . I mean 

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they have received um support on 

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for for uh to get some of their fixed 

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wing aircraft , you know , more 

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operable again . Um So and look the 

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proof's in the pudding there , I mean 

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they right now have available to them 

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more fixed wing fighter aircraft than 

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they did two weeks ago and that's not 

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by accident . That's because other 

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nations who have experience with those 

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kinds of aircraft have been able to 

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help them get get more aircraft up , up , 

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up and running . So um the short answer 

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to , I guess the question that I three 

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times failed to answer , but the short 

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answer is yes , we're working with 

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Ukrainians every day on on helping them 

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with those other systems and if it's a 

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system that we can procure for them or 

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get to them , we're doing that . Um and 

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certainly if it's one that that we can 

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pull down from our own stocks , that's 

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largely what drawdown authority is all 

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about , but in the case where it's not 

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that we are working with allies and 

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partners who do have access to whether 

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it spare parts or whole systems to be 

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able to to be able to get that into 

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Ukraine for their use carla . Thank you . 

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Um first of all , when if 

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the U . S . Were to designate Russia as 

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a state sponsor of terrorism , how 

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would that affect the Pentagon's 

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communications with the Russian 

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military ? Like would there still be a 

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line of communication available ? Can 

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you go into that ? I know that the US 

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has not yet designated it . But yes , 

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I'm wondering why why the question ? 

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Because there's there's not an active 

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discussion about doing that . There 

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isn't . I thought that the US was 

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taking a look at it . I know of nothing 

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out of the body that says we're talking 

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about doing that . The State Department 

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had said , well I can't speak for the 

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State Department but I'm not I don't 

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know of any effort here at D . O . D . 

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To to do that or what the effect that 

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might have . I'm not gonna speculate . 

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Okay . And then um if you would can you 

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give us an update on the pentagon's 

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assistance on collecting evidence for 

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war crimes accusations ? How's that 

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going ? We are we are part of a larger 

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interagency effort that is helping to 

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provide documentation and evidence uh 

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to to to support what we have long 

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believed are are credible claims of 

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war crimes by Russian forces . Um but 

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it's not just the D . O . D . The the 

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whole administration at least the 

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agencies agencies that have the 

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wherewithal to provide evidence whether 

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that's imagery or um or other data 

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that that can help support war crimes 

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investigations were contributing to 

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that . Yeah . Hi John on the Howitzers , 

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is there a sense that they will the 

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Ukrainians will quickly need additional 

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artillery rounds and the US is still 

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going to send 40,000 . But if they have 

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a sustained fight You could go through 

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those 40,000 pretty quickly . How open 

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is the door to quickly getting more to 

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let you know ? We've said many times 

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it's about supporting Ukraine as much 

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as we can as fast as we can . And and 

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while I don't have any future uh 

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shipments to speak to today , I think 

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you can assume that should there be 

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additional need in the future for more 

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155 artillery rounds . The United 

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States will be right at the front of 

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the line doing what we can to help help 

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get them there . And then on the visits 

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recently , um Spain today was a phone 

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call and then pulling tomorrow and 

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check the stock . How much of the 

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conversation now is about the future 

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and maybe having an increased U . S . 

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Troop presence in europe because of the 

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threat ? Or is it very much still 

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presently focused on ? Yeah , I think 

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these discussions that the secretary is 

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having and you've we've read them all 

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out to you . You you can see how much 

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and how deeply he's engaged with 

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bilateral conversations with a whole 

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range of allies and partners is focused 

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on Ukraine and what's going on right 

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now and what we can all do as allies 

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and partners to help support Ukraine's 

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critical defense needs . That's the 

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focus right now . They're not having 

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deep discussions about long term 

271
00:10:07,049 --> 00:10:09,216
european footprint and what that would 

272
00:10:09,216 --> 00:10:12,130
look like . We are having . Initial 

273
00:10:12,140 --> 00:10:15,140
discussions here in the building about 

274
00:10:15,150 --> 00:10:17,680
long term posture would be foolish for 

275
00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:19,513
us not to given that we know the 

276
00:10:19,513 --> 00:10:21,458
security environment in europe has 

277
00:10:21,458 --> 00:10:23,680
changed . But in terms of detailed 

278
00:10:23,690 --> 00:10:26,360
negotiations with other country's about 

279
00:10:26,500 --> 00:10:28,240
where that footprint might be 

280
00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,462
rotational versus permanent or what the 

281
00:10:30,462 --> 00:10:32,518
size might be . We're just not there 

282
00:10:32,518 --> 00:10:34,740
yet bringing up any requests , are they 

283
00:10:34,740 --> 00:10:36,907
approaching the topic at all ? I won't 

284
00:10:36,907 --> 00:10:38,573
get into more detail in these 

285
00:10:38,573 --> 00:10:40,629
conversations and what we're putting 

286
00:10:40,629 --> 00:10:42,629
out in the readouts , but I I don't 

287
00:10:42,629 --> 00:10:44,796
want to leave you with the notion that 

288
00:10:44,796 --> 00:10:46,462
that that that that that deep 

289
00:10:46,462 --> 00:10:48,407
negotiations and discussions about 

290
00:10:48,407 --> 00:10:51,140
footprint is a predominant part of 

291
00:10:51,140 --> 00:10:53,260
these discussions . Does it come up 

292
00:10:53,270 --> 00:10:55,214
coincidentally sometimes when he's 

293
00:10:55,214 --> 00:10:57,326
talking depends on the nation and and 

294
00:10:57,326 --> 00:10:59,437
their willingness to host us forces . 

295
00:10:59,437 --> 00:11:01,548
Sure it does , but it's it's not that 

296
00:11:01,548 --> 00:11:03,659
they're not diving deep into that and 

297
00:11:03,659 --> 00:11:05,770
and you know , looking at the map and 

298
00:11:05,770 --> 00:11:07,881
deciding where we're gonna put troops 

299
00:11:07,881 --> 00:11:07,020
and how long they're gonna stay that's 

300
00:11:07,020 --> 00:11:09,242
just not part of the conversation right 

301
00:11:09,242 --> 00:11:11,353
now . Some of the original units that 

302
00:11:11,353 --> 00:11:13,576
were deployed in like february march to 

303
00:11:13,576 --> 00:11:15,798
respond to Ukraine have been extended ? 

304
00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:17,640
Um is the conversation now about 

305
00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,473
extending those further or maybe 

306
00:11:19,473 --> 00:11:21,640
bringing in rotating in a new group of 

307
00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,696
troops ? And would that be more from 

308
00:11:23,696 --> 00:11:25,807
active duty or are you thinking about 

309
00:11:25,807 --> 00:11:27,529
calling up reservists national 

310
00:11:27,529 --> 00:11:29,640
Guardsmen to fill that ? I don't know 

311
00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:29,110
if plans to call up reservists or 

312
00:11:29,110 --> 00:11:31,221
National Guard for for these sorts of 

313
00:11:31,221 --> 00:11:32,943
commitments . I don't have any 

314
00:11:32,943 --> 00:11:35,054
additional decisions to talk to today 

315
00:11:35,054 --> 00:11:37,388
in terms of extensions or redeployments . 

316
00:11:37,388 --> 00:11:39,499
Um it is something that the secretary 

317
00:11:39,499 --> 00:11:41,832
routinely revisits with general Walters . 

318
00:11:41,832 --> 00:11:44,080
Um there's been some obviously decision 

319
00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,570
to to to not terminate deployments in 

320
00:11:47,570 --> 00:11:50,020
the case of the 82nd in the case of the 

321
00:11:50,030 --> 00:11:53,200
Harry S Truman ? Um , but 

322
00:11:53,210 --> 00:11:56,400
but you know , if and when we have 

323
00:11:56,940 --> 00:11:59,051
over decision making to speak to will 

324
00:11:59,051 --> 00:12:01,273
certainly do that . But there's been no 

325
00:12:01,273 --> 00:12:03,329
change in that uh in that rotational 

326
00:12:03,329 --> 00:12:05,440
footprint right now . Yeah . Barb , a 

327
00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,496
senior defense official earlier this 

328
00:12:07,496 --> 00:12:10,240
morning um talked about the notion that 

329
00:12:10,250 --> 00:12:12,930
the department did not see anything 

330
00:12:12,940 --> 00:12:14,760
imminent ? I think that was the 

331
00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,430
official sport in terms of concerns 

332
00:12:17,430 --> 00:12:20,200
about Russia's nuclear weapons . Could 

333
00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,530
you clarify a little bit more with this 

334
00:12:22,530 --> 00:12:24,590
official was talking about in other 

335
00:12:24,590 --> 00:12:28,130
words , do you do you still 

336
00:12:28,130 --> 00:12:31,870
have any concerns about Putin's threats 

337
00:12:31,870 --> 00:12:34,037
about nuclear weapons or is it off the 

338
00:12:34,037 --> 00:12:37,910
table ? And uh in your mind in the 

339
00:12:37,910 --> 00:12:40,160
department's mind , is the secretary 

340
00:12:40,170 --> 00:12:42,820
continuing to get briefed on the status 

341
00:12:42,820 --> 00:12:45,990
of Russia's nuclear weapons ? How much 

342
00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:48,970
of the focus is this for him as he 

343
00:12:48,970 --> 00:12:51,081
continues to get briefings overall in 

344
00:12:51,081 --> 00:12:52,940
this situation , the secretaries 

345
00:12:52,940 --> 00:12:56,660
routinely kept the rest of of 

346
00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,360
threats in the nuclear realm . 

347
00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,680
And that includes a regular interchange 

348
00:13:04,690 --> 00:13:06,680
with the U . S . Strategic Command 

349
00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:10,050
Commander . Admiral Richard . It is 

350
00:13:10,050 --> 00:13:13,310
something that we monitor virtually 

351
00:13:13,310 --> 00:13:15,950
every day , particularly in light of 

352
00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,260
the escalatory rhetoric that Mr Putin 

353
00:13:18,270 --> 00:13:21,680
voiced at the early days of of this 

354
00:13:21,740 --> 00:13:24,720
of this war . I would just tell you 

355
00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,720
without getting into too much 

356
00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,250
classified information that again , we 

357
00:13:29,250 --> 00:13:31,440
monitor this every day . We have seen 

358
00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,400
no reason to change our strategic 

359
00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,030
deterrent posture and we're comfortable 

360
00:13:36,030 --> 00:13:38,030
remain comfortable that we have the 

361
00:13:38,030 --> 00:13:40,160
ability uh if required to defend the 

362
00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,327
homeland , our allies and our partners 

363
00:13:42,327 --> 00:13:44,382
with the current strategic deterrent 

364
00:13:44,382 --> 00:13:46,549
posture that we have in place . But it 

365
00:13:46,549 --> 00:13:48,716
is not something that we ever take for 

366
00:13:48,716 --> 00:13:50,938
granted even before Mr Putin decided to 

367
00:13:50,938 --> 00:13:53,160
invade Ukraine . It's the kind of thing 

368
00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,216
that we're constantly monitoring . I 

369
00:13:55,216 --> 00:13:57,327
mean , that is , you know , it's a um 

370
00:13:57,327 --> 00:14:00,530
it's the Secretary's monitoring of the 

371
00:14:00,530 --> 00:14:03,560
Russia situation has perhaps , I don't 

372
00:14:03,560 --> 00:14:05,870
know , stepped up increased since the 

373
00:14:05,870 --> 00:14:08,950
invasion and Putin's rhetoric . I think 

374
00:14:08,950 --> 00:14:11,350
clearly we took note of what Mr Putin 

375
00:14:11,350 --> 00:14:13,770
said in the early days of this invasion . 

376
00:14:13,770 --> 00:14:16,870
I think it's also important to to add 

377
00:14:16,870 --> 00:14:19,570
that that there hasn't been a lot more 

378
00:14:19,570 --> 00:14:21,792
of that rhetoric following that initial 

379
00:14:21,792 --> 00:14:25,640
salvo uh in the early days , but , but 

380
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,260
yes , look , in light of what's going 

381
00:14:28,260 --> 00:14:30,460
on in Ukraine . Um , 

382
00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:35,270
and certainly in light of of the early 

383
00:14:35,270 --> 00:14:38,830
rhetoric , um , we are actively 

384
00:14:38,830 --> 00:14:41,860
monitoring every single day . Um , and 

385
00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,480
even today , and even today , the 

386
00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:47,591
secretary remains comfortable that we 

387
00:14:47,591 --> 00:14:49,647
have , uh , an appropriate strategic 

388
00:14:49,647 --> 00:14:51,813
deterrent posture in place and there's 

389
00:14:51,813 --> 00:14:54,290
no need to make any changes to it on a 

390
00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:56,633
different subject . Going back to boggs . 

391
00:14:56,633 --> 00:14:59,280
Very first question , I think you said 

392
00:14:59,410 --> 00:15:02,220
that you have a training plan for the 

393
00:15:02,220 --> 00:15:04,800
artillery and that you were beginning 

394
00:15:04,810 --> 00:15:08,390
to execute it . So can we conclude from 

395
00:15:08,390 --> 00:15:10,630
that the training has begun ? 

396
00:15:12,740 --> 00:15:16,260
Because it hasn't ? It's not because no , 

397
00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:20,200
but I think we'll be making progress 

398
00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,500
here in very short order . Thanks john , 

399
00:15:23,500 --> 00:15:25,722
good afternoon . Two questions please , 

400
00:15:25,722 --> 00:15:28,320
on the unmanned coastal defense weapons 

401
00:15:29,020 --> 00:15:30,853
that are being sent over without 

402
00:15:30,853 --> 00:15:33,530
getting into any security details . Are 

403
00:15:33,530 --> 00:15:35,730
there mechanisms to prevent them from 

404
00:15:35,980 --> 00:15:38,147
if they're captured by the Russians by 

405
00:15:38,147 --> 00:15:40,091
the Russians being able to reverse 

406
00:15:40,091 --> 00:15:41,869
engineer them ? That's my first 

407
00:15:41,869 --> 00:15:43,813
question . I don't even know how I 

408
00:15:43,813 --> 00:15:45,924
could answer that question . I mean , 

409
00:15:45,924 --> 00:15:48,091
we're gonna give these capabilities to 

410
00:15:48,091 --> 00:15:50,091
the Ukrainians so that they can use 

411
00:15:50,091 --> 00:15:52,036
them to help defend their coasts . 

412
00:15:52,036 --> 00:15:54,258
That's our focus . That's our attention 

413
00:15:54,258 --> 00:15:56,258
right now . Um , I'm not gonna talk 

414
00:15:56,258 --> 00:15:58,258
about a hypothetical capture by the 

415
00:15:58,258 --> 00:16:00,480
Russians and what that would do or what 

416
00:16:00,480 --> 00:16:02,450
that would mean . Okay , well , it 

417
00:16:02,790 --> 00:16:04,846
might be something that happens that 

418
00:16:04,846 --> 00:16:06,901
hypothetical in wartime , you know , 

419
00:16:06,901 --> 00:16:09,012
tom but we could we could hypothesize 

420
00:16:09,012 --> 00:16:10,901
all day about things that haven't 

421
00:16:10,901 --> 00:16:13,068
happened and might happen . And I just 

422
00:16:13,068 --> 00:16:12,870
I just don't want to I don't think 

423
00:16:12,870 --> 00:16:15,120
that's a good use of our time . My 

424
00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,231
second question in the inventory that 

425
00:16:17,231 --> 00:16:19,231
we're sending over how many systems 

426
00:16:19,231 --> 00:16:21,287
like the howitzers , artillery close 

427
00:16:21,287 --> 00:16:23,398
enough for the Ukrainians to train on 

428
00:16:23,398 --> 00:16:25,509
and how many things do we have ? Like 

429
00:16:25,509 --> 00:16:27,731
you just mentioned like the tanks , our 

430
00:16:27,731 --> 00:16:29,842
tanks are not even near what they can 

431
00:16:29,842 --> 00:16:32,064
do . Would you say most of the stuff we 

432
00:16:32,064 --> 00:16:31,880
send over the Ukrainians can use 

433
00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,158
without training or how limited ? Yeah . 

434
00:16:34,158 --> 00:16:36,324
Okay . Yeah . I mean , and that's been 

435
00:16:36,324 --> 00:16:38,436
the case over and now more than three 

436
00:16:38,436 --> 00:16:41,350
billion dollars worth of of material 

437
00:16:41,350 --> 00:16:44,270
and assistance . The vast vast majority 

438
00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,607
has required no additional training by 

439
00:16:46,620 --> 00:16:48,842
Ukrainians . I mean , let's just take a 

440
00:16:48,842 --> 00:16:51,064
look here . Right . We did a little bit 

441
00:16:51,064 --> 00:16:53,231
of training on the switchblade because 

442
00:16:53,231 --> 00:16:55,342
that's not a U A V . They know how to 

443
00:16:55,342 --> 00:16:54,970
use . It's also not a very difficult 

444
00:16:54,970 --> 00:16:57,026
one to use . We're going to get some 

445
00:16:57,026 --> 00:16:58,748
training for a small number of 

446
00:16:58,748 --> 00:17:01,430
Ukrainians on the howitzers and the 155 

447
00:17:01,430 --> 00:17:03,541
artillery because they don't use that 

448
00:17:03,541 --> 00:17:05,708
caliber and they don't they don't have 

449
00:17:05,708 --> 00:17:07,763
in their stocks american howitzers . 

450
00:17:07,763 --> 00:17:10,050
But as I said the other day , artillery 

451
00:17:10,050 --> 00:17:11,940
pieces are not all that radically 

452
00:17:11,940 --> 00:17:14,162
different from one another and we don't 

453
00:17:14,162 --> 00:17:16,329
think it's going to take very long for 

454
00:17:16,329 --> 00:17:16,310
them to to to go through the training 

455
00:17:16,310 --> 00:17:18,510
on that . We're looking at the degree 

456
00:17:18,510 --> 00:17:20,566
to which we need to familiarize them 

457
00:17:20,566 --> 00:17:22,399
with these radar systems , these 

458
00:17:22,399 --> 00:17:24,566
portable radar systems that that we're 

459
00:17:24,566 --> 00:17:26,732
going to flow over . We don't have all 

460
00:17:26,732 --> 00:17:28,566
that nailed down yet , but we're 

461
00:17:28,566 --> 00:17:30,677
looking at that . We also don't think 

462
00:17:30,677 --> 00:17:30,550
that's going to require a whole heck of 

463
00:17:30,550 --> 00:17:33,010
a lot of time . And we have already 

464
00:17:33,020 --> 00:17:35,187
done some training with the Ukrainians 

465
00:17:35,187 --> 00:17:37,242
that we're here in the states before 

466
00:17:37,242 --> 00:17:39,353
who got the switchblade training also 

467
00:17:39,353 --> 00:17:41,187
got training on on these coastal 

468
00:17:41,187 --> 00:17:43,870
defense uh systems . So they are ready 

469
00:17:43,870 --> 00:17:46,310
to receive those . Um , we're doing the 

470
00:17:46,310 --> 00:17:49,740
best we can uh , to focus on a the 

471
00:17:49,740 --> 00:17:51,962
kinds of capabilities we know they need 

472
00:17:51,962 --> 00:17:53,962
and that they say they want and are 

473
00:17:53,962 --> 00:17:56,470
using be secondary to that to try to 

474
00:17:56,470 --> 00:17:58,900
get them systems that they don't need a 

475
00:17:58,900 --> 00:18:01,011
lot of startup time for that they can 

476
00:18:01,011 --> 00:18:03,560
put in the field almost immediately and 

477
00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,671
short of that where we can't meet one 

478
00:18:05,671 --> 00:18:07,893
or two to be able to provide some level 

479
00:18:07,893 --> 00:18:10,004
of Familiarization and or training as 

480
00:18:10,004 --> 00:18:12,100
required . But the but as I've said 

481
00:18:12,100 --> 00:18:16,030
many times , we know that that time is 

482
00:18:16,030 --> 00:18:19,150
not our friend and the clock is a bit 

483
00:18:19,150 --> 00:18:21,960
of an enemy here too . So I think we 

484
00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:23,960
can be forgiven for wanting to make 

485
00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:25,960
sure that that we get stuff to them 

486
00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:27,627
that they can use quickly and 

487
00:18:27,627 --> 00:18:29,738
effectively in the field and if there 

488
00:18:29,738 --> 00:18:31,849
is a training component that we can , 

489
00:18:31,849 --> 00:18:34,071
that , that it can be as , as , as , as 

490
00:18:34,071 --> 00:18:36,740
short as possible , so that they are 

491
00:18:36,740 --> 00:18:39,190
not distracted by the fight there in uh , 

492
00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,670
in terms of , of training and education . 

493
00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,500
Yeah , thank you , john , in 

494
00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:47,333
Ukraine , everyone's attention , 

495
00:18:47,340 --> 00:18:49,118
everyone thoughts are about the 

496
00:18:49,118 --> 00:18:51,062
situation in Morocco people on the 

497
00:18:51,250 --> 00:18:53,306
planet right now and about Ukrainian 

498
00:18:53,306 --> 00:18:55,730
military and possibly civilians block 

499
00:18:55,730 --> 00:18:57,619
there . So , could you share your 

500
00:18:57,619 --> 00:18:59,786
understanding of the situation there ? 

501
00:18:59,786 --> 00:19:01,897
And secondly , what's your assessment 

502
00:19:01,897 --> 00:19:04,250
about the Russia ? The strategy Russia 

503
00:19:04,250 --> 00:19:07,240
might might use their mary opal 

504
00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,050
looking as , you know , I'm , I'm 

505
00:19:11,050 --> 00:19:13,230
careful not to detail battlefield 

506
00:19:13,230 --> 00:19:15,341
tactics here because we're not on the 

507
00:19:15,341 --> 00:19:17,563
ground . And so our visibility is quite 

508
00:19:17,563 --> 00:19:19,397
frankly , somewhat limited . Our 

509
00:19:19,397 --> 00:19:21,619
assessment is that the Mario opal still 

510
00:19:21,619 --> 00:19:23,619
remains contested that the Russians 

511
00:19:23,619 --> 00:19:25,841
have not taken it , that the Ukrainians 

512
00:19:25,841 --> 00:19:27,952
are still fighting for it , um , that 

513
00:19:27,952 --> 00:19:30,119
there has been a lot of devastation in 

514
00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:32,174
Mario opal caused by the air strikes 

515
00:19:32,174 --> 00:19:34,230
and the artillery strikes , that the 

516
00:19:34,230 --> 00:19:36,341
Russians continue to rain down on the 

517
00:19:36,341 --> 00:19:38,810
city . Um , the Ukrainians obviously 

518
00:19:38,820 --> 00:19:41,060
want to keep mary opal and for good 

519
00:19:41,060 --> 00:19:43,490
reason it's their city . Um , and uh , 

520
00:19:43,490 --> 00:19:45,601
and they're fighting bravely for it . 

521
00:19:45,601 --> 00:19:47,770
I'm not gonna speculate about how much 

522
00:19:47,770 --> 00:19:49,992
longer it will hold out . And frankly , 

523
00:19:49,992 --> 00:19:52,103
we're not , uh , we're not willing to 

524
00:19:52,103 --> 00:19:54,381
accept what , what some critics say is , 

525
00:19:54,381 --> 00:19:56,548
the inevitability of it falling . Um , 

526
00:19:56,548 --> 00:19:58,548
uh , they didn't take Kiev either , 

527
00:19:58,548 --> 00:20:00,603
they didn't take chair and heave and 

528
00:20:00,603 --> 00:20:02,714
the Ukrainians continue to fight over 

529
00:20:02,714 --> 00:20:04,492
Mario people . Now look why the 

530
00:20:04,492 --> 00:20:06,714
Russians want it again . I'm not inside 

531
00:20:06,714 --> 00:20:10,400
the strategist heads there in Moscow . 

532
00:20:10,410 --> 00:20:12,670
But if you just look at geography and 

533
00:20:12,670 --> 00:20:14,670
you can see the importance of Mario 

534
00:20:14,670 --> 00:20:16,726
pole to what the Russians themselves 

535
00:20:16,726 --> 00:20:18,860
have said is a goal , which is a land 

536
00:20:18,860 --> 00:20:21,690
bridge to Crimea from the Donbas down 

537
00:20:21,690 --> 00:20:24,720
to Crimea as well as um , the ability 

538
00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,680
to , to close off two pence off 

539
00:20:27,690 --> 00:20:29,523
Ukrainian forces in the Donbas . 

540
00:20:29,523 --> 00:20:31,634
They've already said they're going to 

541
00:20:31,634 --> 00:20:31,580
focus their efforts on the Donbas 

542
00:20:31,580 --> 00:20:33,880
specific specifically . This is an area 

543
00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:35,824
of the country that they have been 

544
00:20:35,824 --> 00:20:37,880
fighting over for eight years . Um , 

545
00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,102
and the Russians have said themselves , 

546
00:20:40,102 --> 00:20:42,102
they're going to prioritize that if 

547
00:20:42,102 --> 00:20:44,102
that is your geographic goal . Uh , 

548
00:20:44,102 --> 00:20:46,324
then there is a logic that follows that 

549
00:20:46,324 --> 00:20:46,230
Mario pole could be important to that 

550
00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:48,407
because it lies at the southern end of 

551
00:20:48,407 --> 00:20:50,950
that part of Ukraine . Okay , David , 

552
00:20:51,740 --> 00:20:54,850
before we came in here , the wires 

553
00:20:54,850 --> 00:20:57,680
removing the stories that the president 

554
00:20:57,680 --> 00:20:59,902
had just told reporters he was going to 

555
00:20:59,902 --> 00:21:02,740
be sending more artillery . So I want 

556
00:21:02,740 --> 00:21:04,930
to give you a chance to tell us more 

557
00:21:04,930 --> 00:21:07,263
about that . But I also want to ask you , 

558
00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:11,290
um , why is this being done in slices . 

559
00:21:12,140 --> 00:21:15,970
Um , if you knew When you 

560
00:21:15,970 --> 00:21:18,960
did the 18 balancers , that wasn't 

561
00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,710
going to be enough . Why why wait 

562
00:21:22,710 --> 00:21:26,400
another week , if , as you say , time 

563
00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,420
is working against you because time is 

564
00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:31,531
working against us . David . I mean , 

565
00:21:31,531 --> 00:21:33,476
so , so first of all , a couple of 

566
00:21:33,476 --> 00:21:36,520
things . One , everything we're sending 

567
00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:38,687
as a result of iterative conversations 

568
00:21:38,687 --> 00:21:40,798
that we're having with the Ukrainians 

569
00:21:40,798 --> 00:21:42,964
literally in real time about what they 

570
00:21:42,964 --> 00:21:45,290
need and what we can provide . Um , and 

571
00:21:45,300 --> 00:21:47,300
uh , and we do the best we can with 

572
00:21:47,300 --> 00:21:51,020
each package , uh , to tailor it to the 

573
00:21:51,020 --> 00:21:53,242
need at the time . And now the need has 

574
00:21:53,242 --> 00:21:55,464
changed because now the war has changed 

575
00:21:55,464 --> 00:21:57,131
because now the Russians have 

576
00:21:57,131 --> 00:21:59,298
prioritized the Donbas area and that's 

577
00:21:59,298 --> 00:22:01,520
a whole different level of fighting . A 

578
00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,631
whole different type of fighting that 

579
00:22:03,631 --> 00:22:03,460
and and last Wednesday was when the 

580
00:22:03,460 --> 00:22:05,620
President announced $800 million to 

581
00:22:05,620 --> 00:22:07,810
include 18 howitzers . And we never 

582
00:22:07,810 --> 00:22:09,977
said at the time , David . And I'm not 

583
00:22:09,977 --> 00:22:12,300
saying today , and and you you heard 

584
00:22:12,300 --> 00:22:14,522
the President himself today that that's 

585
00:22:14,522 --> 00:22:16,411
the end . All be all sum total of 

586
00:22:16,411 --> 00:22:18,578
everything we're going to do . We have 

587
00:22:18,578 --> 00:22:20,522
said , and we've acknowledged that 

588
00:22:20,522 --> 00:22:22,467
fighting in the Donbas is going to 

589
00:22:22,467 --> 00:22:24,467
require an effort for both sides on 

590
00:22:24,467 --> 00:22:26,689
long range fires , which means for both 

591
00:22:26,689 --> 00:22:28,911
sides . Artillery . We've we've noticed 

592
00:22:28,911 --> 00:22:28,240
that the Russians have moved in 

593
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:30,850
artillery support in the Donbas . And 

594
00:22:30,860 --> 00:22:32,916
it follows that the Ukrainians would 

595
00:22:32,916 --> 00:22:35,027
want artillery support . I don't have 

596
00:22:35,027 --> 00:22:37,050
any future packages or shipments to 

597
00:22:37,050 --> 00:22:39,106
speak to today . You know , that I'm 

598
00:22:39,106 --> 00:22:41,310
not gonna get ahead of that . But as I 

599
00:22:41,310 --> 00:22:44,040
answered to Tare , it is certainly 

600
00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:46,151
within the realm of the possible that 

601
00:22:46,151 --> 00:22:48,151
the , that the Ukrainians will want 

602
00:22:48,151 --> 00:22:49,984
additional artillery systems and 

603
00:22:49,984 --> 00:22:52,207
additional artillery rounds and we will 

604
00:22:52,207 --> 00:22:54,262
have those conversations with them . 

605
00:22:54,262 --> 00:22:56,318
And we will , if that is , if that's 

606
00:22:56,318 --> 00:22:58,429
the need , we'll do everything we can 

607
00:22:58,429 --> 00:23:01,480
to meet it . Ukrainians told the United 

608
00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:05,160
States we only need 18 hours , only 

609
00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,350
need 40,000 . No , they said they 

610
00:23:08,350 --> 00:23:10,550
needed artillery support . And just 

611
00:23:10,550 --> 00:23:12,910
like in every other package , we take a 

612
00:23:12,910 --> 00:23:14,966
look at what capabilities are asking 

613
00:23:14,966 --> 00:23:17,021
for . What do we have immediately in 

614
00:23:17,021 --> 00:23:19,021
the inventory that we can get there 

615
00:23:19,021 --> 00:23:21,243
quickly . Uh , and what we came up with 

616
00:23:21,243 --> 00:23:23,354
in this package was 18 Howard Stern's 

617
00:23:23,354 --> 00:23:25,577
and 40,000 rounds . But it doesn't mean 

618
00:23:25,577 --> 00:23:27,688
it's the sum total . Um , and to your 

619
00:23:27,688 --> 00:23:29,910
question about why we're slicing this . 

620
00:23:29,910 --> 00:23:32,021
I find that interesting because if we 

621
00:23:32,021 --> 00:23:31,550
were to , let's just say that the we 

622
00:23:31,550 --> 00:23:33,661
followed the alternative logic and at 

623
00:23:33,661 --> 00:23:35,883
the very beginning of the invasion , we 

624
00:23:35,883 --> 00:23:37,661
just said , here's everything . 

625
00:23:37,661 --> 00:23:39,828
Everything in the shoebox . Let's just 

626
00:23:39,828 --> 00:23:41,828
send it over there . Well , what if 

627
00:23:41,828 --> 00:23:43,939
everything in the shoebox doesn't fit 

628
00:23:43,939 --> 00:23:45,883
the fight that they're in ? So you 

629
00:23:45,883 --> 00:23:48,050
tailor each package based on the fight 

630
00:23:48,050 --> 00:23:50,217
that they're in and what's going on at 

631
00:23:50,217 --> 00:23:52,439
the time . You also have to tailor your 

632
00:23:52,439 --> 00:23:52,340
packages , David on what they can 

633
00:23:52,340 --> 00:23:55,020
absorb on their end . I mean , it's 

634
00:23:55,030 --> 00:23:57,310
they understand they have absorption 

635
00:23:57,310 --> 00:23:59,310
issues too , that they have to deal 

636
00:23:59,310 --> 00:24:01,143
with . So you don't want to flow 

637
00:24:01,143 --> 00:24:03,366
everything you've got the whole kitchen 

638
00:24:03,366 --> 00:24:05,477
sink in there and then have them have 

639
00:24:05,477 --> 00:24:07,532
nowhere to put them nowhere to storm 

640
00:24:07,532 --> 00:24:09,754
temporarily , nowhere to move them to , 

641
00:24:09,754 --> 00:24:11,754
uh , and nowhere to put them in the 

642
00:24:11,754 --> 00:24:14,032
fight . So you have to do this smartly . 

643
00:24:14,032 --> 00:24:16,199
And that means doing it in , in chunks 

644
00:24:16,199 --> 00:24:18,254
and phases based on what their needs 

645
00:24:18,254 --> 00:24:18,190
are in the moment . It would be 

646
00:24:18,190 --> 00:24:20,357
irresponsible for us not to do it that 

647
00:24:20,357 --> 00:24:24,070
way . Sylvie . Um , I don't join . I 

648
00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:26,769
have two questions . The european 

649
00:24:26,769 --> 00:24:29,270
officials said this morning that they 

650
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,720
could be up to 20,000 

651
00:24:32,730 --> 00:24:36,050
foreign fighters and 

652
00:24:38,910 --> 00:24:41,690
employees fighting for Russia in 

653
00:24:41,700 --> 00:24:45,120
Ukraine . The number you find possible . 

654
00:24:45,350 --> 00:24:47,530
I've not seen that number . Uh , we , 

655
00:24:47,530 --> 00:24:50,620
we know that the Russians have tried to 

656
00:24:50,630 --> 00:24:52,852
recruit foreign fighters , particularly 

657
00:24:52,852 --> 00:24:55,770
out of Syria ? Um , and , uh , and the 

658
00:24:55,770 --> 00:24:58,940
Wagner group , we know also , uh , has 

659
00:24:58,940 --> 00:25:01,107
been interested in , in pulling people 

660
00:25:01,107 --> 00:25:03,107
from elsewhere , like in north from 

661
00:25:03,107 --> 00:25:05,430
North Africa . The Russians themselves 

662
00:25:05,430 --> 00:25:07,597
said they were going to recruit 16,000 

663
00:25:07,597 --> 00:25:10,230
Syrians . We , we don't know whether 

664
00:25:10,230 --> 00:25:13,190
they actually achieve that goal or how 

665
00:25:13,190 --> 00:25:15,090
close they got to it and how many 

666
00:25:15,100 --> 00:25:17,100
foreign fighters that might , there 

667
00:25:17,100 --> 00:25:19,322
might be in Ukraine ? We just , we just 

668
00:25:19,322 --> 00:25:21,489
don't have a good count . And you said 

669
00:25:21,489 --> 00:25:24,660
earlier that the Ukrainians have now 

670
00:25:24,670 --> 00:25:28,490
more fighter aircraft than they had two 

671
00:25:28,490 --> 00:25:30,740
weeks ago . Can you give us an 

672
00:25:30,740 --> 00:25:32,962
incomparable fighter aircraft than they 

673
00:25:32,962 --> 00:25:35,073
had two weeks ago . So , can you give 

674
00:25:35,073 --> 00:25:38,620
us an idea of , did they received 

675
00:25:38,630 --> 00:25:42,420
more and an idea of how many dozens , I 

676
00:25:42,420 --> 00:25:44,450
would just say without getting into 

677
00:25:44,460 --> 00:25:46,890
what other nations are providing that 

678
00:25:46,890 --> 00:25:50,270
they have received additional um 

679
00:25:51,540 --> 00:25:54,060
platforms and parts to be able to 

680
00:25:55,450 --> 00:25:57,860
to be able to increase their fleet size , 

681
00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:00,471
the aircraft fleet size . I think I'd 

682
00:26:00,471 --> 00:26:03,810
leave it at that platforms and and 

683
00:26:03,810 --> 00:26:07,030
parts platform is an airplane in this 

684
00:26:07,030 --> 00:26:10,600
case I'm they have 

685
00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,780
received additional aircraft and 

686
00:26:12,790 --> 00:26:15,100
aircraft parts to help them , you know , 

687
00:26:15,110 --> 00:26:17,660
get more more aircraft in the air . 

688
00:26:18,140 --> 00:26:20,307
Yeah . Thanks John I want to follow up 

689
00:26:20,307 --> 00:26:22,620
on US security aid to Ukraine . I think 

690
00:26:22,620 --> 00:26:24,731
you said the total is like $3 billion 

691
00:26:24,731 --> 00:26:27,000
dollars now and the expectation would 

692
00:26:27,010 --> 00:26:29,177
be that Congress is going to replenish 

693
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,130
these funds . Can you say where that is ? 

694
00:26:33,130 --> 00:26:35,186
Like how much has been reimbursed so 

695
00:26:35,186 --> 00:26:37,241
far how much you're still looking to 

696
00:26:37,241 --> 00:26:39,130
get back And like do you have any 

697
00:26:39,130 --> 00:26:41,241
specific timeline ? Unfortunately not 

698
00:26:41,241 --> 00:26:43,352
today . I'll try to take the question 

699
00:26:43,352 --> 00:26:46,120
for you and get back to you in just a 

700
00:26:46,130 --> 00:26:48,260
couple of questions . Um David had 

701
00:26:48,260 --> 00:26:50,371
asked you earlier about some comments 

702
00:26:50,371 --> 00:26:52,538
the President made earlier today about 

703
00:26:52,538 --> 00:26:54,593
more artillery going to Ukraine . If 

704
00:26:54,593 --> 00:26:56,816
you can provide some details about that 

705
00:26:56,816 --> 00:26:58,927
and then on the additional platform . 

706
00:26:58,927 --> 00:27:00,871
Mhm I thought my answer was pretty 

707
00:27:00,871 --> 00:27:02,038
comprehensive . No , 

708
00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,270
you didn't think I did either provide 

709
00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,720
details on on the next package . Yeah , 

710
00:27:10,730 --> 00:27:13,160
I told you I'm not gonna do that . I 

711
00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,160
specifically said I'm not gonna get 

712
00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:16,938
ahead of future announcements . 

713
00:27:16,938 --> 00:27:19,960
Look . 

714
00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:23,210
Look , we're we're constantly looking 

715
00:27:23,210 --> 00:27:24,877
at what we can do to help the 

716
00:27:24,877 --> 00:27:26,543
Ukrainians , I don't have any 

717
00:27:26,543 --> 00:27:28,710
additional announcements to make today 

718
00:27:28,710 --> 00:27:31,910
on any further drawdown packages . Um 

719
00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,350
but I certainly would not rule out the 

720
00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:37,304
possibility of additional drawdown 

721
00:27:37,304 --> 00:27:39,638
package authorities being granted the D . 

722
00:27:39,638 --> 00:27:41,804
O . D . To pull from our inventories . 

723
00:27:41,804 --> 00:27:44,630
And it would , I certainly wouldn't , 

724
00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,960
as I said to to Tara , if the 

725
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,650
Ukrainians desire more artillery 

726
00:27:50,650 --> 00:27:52,761
support , then we're gonna do what we 

727
00:27:52,761 --> 00:27:54,594
can to flow additional artillery 

728
00:27:54,594 --> 00:27:56,761
support . But I'm I'm not going to get 

729
00:27:56,761 --> 00:27:58,594
ahead of of uh of decisions that 

730
00:27:58,594 --> 00:28:00,706
haven't , you know , been announced . 

731
00:28:00,706 --> 00:28:02,706
So I'd leave it at that . Could you 

732
00:28:02,706 --> 00:28:02,560
clarify when you talked about 

733
00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,671
additional platforms and parts , were 

734
00:28:04,671 --> 00:28:06,893
any of those provided or transported by 

735
00:28:06,893 --> 00:28:09,170
the United States ? I mean 

736
00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:13,870
uh well I would say we certainly have 

737
00:28:13,870 --> 00:28:16,430
helped with the with the transshipment 

738
00:28:16,430 --> 00:28:19,110
of some additional spare parts that 

739
00:28:19,110 --> 00:28:21,360
have helped with their aircraft needs . 

740
00:28:21,370 --> 00:28:23,259
But we have not transported whole 

741
00:28:23,259 --> 00:28:25,250
aircraft . Yeah , 

742
00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:29,251
can you talk to us a little bit about 

743
00:28:29,251 --> 00:28:31,307
any updates that you have visibility 

744
00:28:31,307 --> 00:28:33,473
into the use of chemical or biological 

745
00:28:33,473 --> 00:28:35,580
weapons in Ukraine . There have been 

746
00:28:35,580 --> 00:28:37,980
some reports of just recently , the 

747
00:28:37,980 --> 00:28:40,036
last two days about the use of sarin 

748
00:28:40,036 --> 00:28:42,760
and Belka , perhaps evidence on the 

749
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,038
ground of ampules and things like that . 

750
00:28:45,038 --> 00:28:47,020
You know , we don't have any 

751
00:28:47,020 --> 00:28:49,700
indications that chemical or biological 

752
00:28:49,700 --> 00:28:53,000
weapons have been used in Ukraine . And 

753
00:28:53,010 --> 00:28:55,066
what's the state of the PPE that was 

754
00:28:55,066 --> 00:28:57,232
being sent over to them , the personal 

755
00:28:57,232 --> 00:28:59,288
protective equipment To help them in 

756
00:28:59,288 --> 00:29:01,566
case of any sort of attacks . You know , 

757
00:29:01,566 --> 00:29:05,190
it's a part of this $800 million guys . 

758
00:29:05,190 --> 00:29:07,301
I mean it's only got announced on the 

759
00:29:07,301 --> 00:29:09,412
13th . The first shipment went in two 

760
00:29:09,412 --> 00:29:11,190
days later . There are multiple 

761
00:29:11,190 --> 00:29:13,357
shipments going , I'm not going to get 

762
00:29:13,357 --> 00:29:13,260
into an inventory list on every given 

763
00:29:13,260 --> 00:29:15,840
day of every of every article but their 

764
00:29:15,850 --> 00:29:17,961
personal protective equipment will be 

765
00:29:17,961 --> 00:29:21,310
part of that $800 million . Yeah . Let 

766
00:29:21,310 --> 00:29:23,421
me get to the phones here . I haven't 

767
00:29:23,421 --> 00:29:26,930
gotten anybody address . Thanks john um 

768
00:29:26,940 --> 00:29:30,100
over the past couple of days um Russia 

769
00:29:30,110 --> 00:29:32,110
and the Defense Ministry has made a 

770
00:29:32,110 --> 00:29:34,054
couple of statements about um them 

771
00:29:34,054 --> 00:29:36,250
targeting uh Western and U . S . 

772
00:29:36,250 --> 00:29:38,417
Weapons . Just wanted to check in . Um 

773
00:29:38,417 --> 00:29:40,530
have you seen any Western or U . S . 

774
00:29:40,530 --> 00:29:43,640
Weapons hit in Ukraine by Russia or 

775
00:29:43,650 --> 00:29:47,350
have or even targeted ? I've seen uh 

776
00:29:47,740 --> 00:29:50,060
any we have no indications that any 

777
00:29:50,060 --> 00:29:53,170
Western equipment , equipment or or 

778
00:29:53,170 --> 00:29:56,160
shipments have been have been hit or 

779
00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:59,340
deterred by the Russians . 

780
00:29:59,350 --> 00:30:02,680
Um The strikes in La 

781
00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,550
vive again , we don't know exactly uh 

782
00:30:06,740 --> 00:30:09,880
what the Russian targeting logic is 

783
00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,180
here . We just can't get inside their 

784
00:30:12,190 --> 00:30:14,320
heads on every airstrike that they're 

785
00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:18,080
conducting . Um but it is possible 

786
00:30:18,090 --> 00:30:20,312
that the strikes they conducted in LVIV 

787
00:30:20,312 --> 00:30:24,000
were meant uh to try to 

788
00:30:24,010 --> 00:30:27,310
affect inventory levels 

789
00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,820
of of material and weapons that the 

790
00:30:29,830 --> 00:30:32,630
that the Ukrainians uh may have had but 

791
00:30:32,630 --> 00:30:36,120
I've got no confirmation of that . Um I 

792
00:30:36,130 --> 00:30:38,186
don't I can't say for sure that that 

793
00:30:38,186 --> 00:30:40,650
was what they were targeting . And we 

794
00:30:40,650 --> 00:30:43,000
have no indication that any weapons or 

795
00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,056
systems that we were sending in , or 

796
00:30:45,056 --> 00:30:47,222
other countries were sending in , uh , 

797
00:30:47,222 --> 00:30:49,260
were hit or disrupted court . 

798
00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:52,936
You actually kind of answered at the 

799
00:30:52,936 --> 00:30:55,047
end there . But so you're saying that 

800
00:30:55,047 --> 00:30:57,269
it's possible that the strikes and Love 

801
00:30:57,269 --> 00:30:59,324
Eve makes that that's what they were 

802
00:30:59,324 --> 00:31:01,324
trying to do . But it is , it is an 

803
00:31:01,324 --> 00:31:03,658
open question whether it was successful . 

804
00:31:03,658 --> 00:31:05,880
We have no indication that there's been 

805
00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:05,590
any impact . Is there any concern ? I 

806
00:31:05,590 --> 00:31:07,701
mean , it's it's pretty remarkable at 

807
00:31:07,701 --> 00:31:09,812
this point that they haven't actually 

808
00:31:09,812 --> 00:31:12,034
been able to stop or deter any of these 

809
00:31:12,034 --> 00:31:13,979
weapons shipments that we've heard 

810
00:31:13,979 --> 00:31:15,923
about , especially if they've been 

811
00:31:15,923 --> 00:31:18,034
accelerating and there's a half dozen 

812
00:31:18,034 --> 00:31:17,860
or whatever that are going in a day or 

813
00:31:17,860 --> 00:31:21,350
more . Is there , is there a concern 

814
00:31:21,350 --> 00:31:24,240
that that might be more of a goal for 

815
00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,407
them and the day's going forward ? And 

816
00:31:26,407 --> 00:31:28,684
is there anything that's being done to ? 

817
00:31:28,684 --> 00:31:30,907
It has been , it has been a concern for 

818
00:31:30,907 --> 00:31:33,073
us since the moment we started helping 

819
00:31:33,073 --> 00:31:36,100
flow material into Ukraine . And that 

820
00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:38,430
is why we don't talk about , uh , the 

821
00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:40,780
routes , we don't talk even about the 

822
00:31:40,780 --> 00:31:43,550
locations in the theater where , um , 

823
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,700
the shipments are arriving . Um , and 

824
00:31:46,700 --> 00:31:50,650
it's why we're being very judicious 

825
00:31:50,650 --> 00:31:54,570
about about how material is getting 

826
00:31:54,570 --> 00:31:56,514
into Ukraine , because it's been a 

827
00:31:56,514 --> 00:31:58,848
concern since the very , very beginning . 

828
00:31:58,848 --> 00:32:01,070
Yeah . Barb , did you have a question ? 

829
00:32:01,070 --> 00:32:03,237
Yes . Thank you so much . I would like 

830
00:32:03,237 --> 00:32:05,370
to go back to David's question . You 

831
00:32:05,370 --> 00:32:08,550
seem to lay out with your reasoning 

832
00:32:08,940 --> 00:32:12,510
very much a case that in fact security 

833
00:32:12,510 --> 00:32:16,270
assistance is being done , phased is 

834
00:32:16,270 --> 00:32:18,710
being done in slices is being done 

835
00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:22,590
peaceful . You lay 

836
00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:24,850
out . Thank you . I appreciate it . You 

837
00:32:24,850 --> 00:32:28,740
lay out a very comprehensive case of US 

838
00:32:28,750 --> 00:32:31,800
strategy for doing it that way in order 

839
00:32:31,800 --> 00:32:35,330
to make it the in in the view of the U . 

840
00:32:35,330 --> 00:32:37,880
S . The most efficient for the 

841
00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:40,950
Ukrainians to be able to take advantage 

842
00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:43,860
of these sequential shipments . 

843
00:32:44,740 --> 00:32:47,890
But President Zelensky since the very 

844
00:32:47,890 --> 00:32:51,440
beginning has I just wanted close the 

845
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:54,170
loop . President Zelensky since the 

846
00:32:54,180 --> 00:32:56,430
very beginning has basically begged the 

847
00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,960
world for as much in weaponry 

848
00:33:00,540 --> 00:33:02,970
as fast . And I know you say you're 

849
00:33:02,970 --> 00:33:05,026
doing it as fast as you can , but as 

850
00:33:05,026 --> 00:33:07,810
fast as it can be gotten to Ukraine 

851
00:33:07,810 --> 00:33:11,170
spiders . So the 

852
00:33:11,740 --> 00:33:15,500
the Russian strategies , everybody knew 

853
00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:17,722
they were going to go into dumb because 

854
00:33:17,722 --> 00:33:19,556
that was not a secret . I'm just 

855
00:33:19,556 --> 00:33:23,070
wondering if you're looking at this and 

856
00:33:23,070 --> 00:33:25,640
from this point forward perhaps looking 

857
00:33:25,640 --> 00:33:28,920
at a different way of doing this other 

858
00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:32,730
than in these slices or phases . Is 

859
00:33:32,730 --> 00:33:34,970
there another way to do it ? Let me 

860
00:33:34,970 --> 00:33:37,760
push back on this verb of slicing it 

861
00:33:38,140 --> 00:33:40,362
because I don't I don't think that's an 

862
00:33:40,362 --> 00:33:42,473
accurate way of putting it . It's not 

863
00:33:42,473 --> 00:33:44,196
about slicing . Uh it is about 

864
00:33:44,196 --> 00:33:46,362
packaging this and it's about doing it 

865
00:33:46,362 --> 00:33:49,000
in a way that accurately and most 

866
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,944
effectively meets the needs of the 

867
00:33:50,944 --> 00:33:52,944
Ukrainians in the moment and on the 

868
00:33:52,944 --> 00:33:55,167
ground and in the fight that they're in 

869
00:33:55,167 --> 00:33:57,278
and that fight has changed . You said 

870
00:33:57,278 --> 00:33:59,500
it was fairly obvious to everybody that 

871
00:33:59,500 --> 00:34:01,778
they were going to focus on the Donbas . 

872
00:34:01,778 --> 00:34:01,480
Well , barb maybe you have better 

873
00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:03,480
intelligence than we do , It wasn't 

874
00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:05,702
obvious to everybody that that was what 

875
00:34:05,702 --> 00:34:07,924
they were gonna eventually end up going 

876
00:34:07,924 --> 00:34:09,702
to . If you remember back on 27 

877
00:34:09,702 --> 00:34:11,869
February , they were attacking Ukraine 

878
00:34:11,869 --> 00:34:13,924
along three main lines of access and 

879
00:34:13,924 --> 00:34:16,091
one of them and the one that everybody 

880
00:34:16,091 --> 00:34:18,202
here was all worried about around the 

881
00:34:18,202 --> 00:34:20,424
world was worried about was Keith . And 

882
00:34:20,424 --> 00:34:20,020
there was all this discussion about how 

883
00:34:20,020 --> 00:34:22,242
fast he was going to fall and when when 

884
00:34:22,242 --> 00:34:24,464
were the Russians gonna take it and how 

885
00:34:24,464 --> 00:34:26,576
inevitable it was , the key was gonna 

886
00:34:26,576 --> 00:34:28,798
fall and it didn't , and you know , one 

887
00:34:28,798 --> 00:34:28,780
of the reasons it didn't was because we 

888
00:34:28,780 --> 00:34:31,730
flowed in a lot of javelins and we and 

889
00:34:31,740 --> 00:34:33,480
other countries float in other 

890
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,690
capabilities to help them stop the 

891
00:34:35,690 --> 00:34:37,857
Russian advance . And also they failed 

892
00:34:37,857 --> 00:34:39,968
because they didn't properly plan for 

893
00:34:39,968 --> 00:34:42,301
logistics and sustainment . They didn't , 

894
00:34:42,301 --> 00:34:44,357
they made mistakes of their own . Um 

895
00:34:44,357 --> 00:34:46,523
and so the systems that we gave them , 

896
00:34:46,523 --> 00:34:48,870
we and other nations gave them help 

897
00:34:48,870 --> 00:34:51,590
them in the battle for Kiev and helped 

898
00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:53,433
force the Russians to stop their 

899
00:34:53,433 --> 00:34:55,489
advance . That was the focus for the 

900
00:34:55,489 --> 00:34:57,711
moment and it was rightly the focus for 

901
00:34:57,711 --> 00:34:59,933
the moment . Okay , now it's the middle 

902
00:34:59,933 --> 00:35:01,933
of april , the Russians have had to 

903
00:35:01,933 --> 00:35:03,933
recalibrate , they've had to change 

904
00:35:03,933 --> 00:35:05,767
their strategy , they've said it 

905
00:35:05,767 --> 00:35:07,878
publically themselves , you're seeing 

906
00:35:07,878 --> 00:35:07,620
it on the ground , they're focusing on 

907
00:35:07,620 --> 00:35:09,453
the Donbas . That is a different 

908
00:35:09,453 --> 00:35:11,960
terrain . That is a different fight . 

909
00:35:12,290 --> 00:35:14,457
It requires different capabilities for 

910
00:35:14,457 --> 00:35:17,210
both sides . And so in our iterative 

911
00:35:17,210 --> 00:35:19,210
conversations with the Ukrainians , 

912
00:35:19,210 --> 00:35:21,377
they have said now that we're focusing 

913
00:35:21,377 --> 00:35:23,488
on the Donbas now that we know that's 

914
00:35:23,488 --> 00:35:25,599
where the fight is coming , we really 

915
00:35:25,599 --> 00:35:27,821
need to fill in the blank , right ? And 

916
00:35:27,821 --> 00:35:27,760
artillery was one of those fills in the 

917
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:29,593
blanks . And so that's why we're 

918
00:35:29,593 --> 00:35:31,650
focusing on this and and that's the 

919
00:35:31,650 --> 00:35:34,240
right way to do this because the war 

920
00:35:34,240 --> 00:35:36,830
does change over time . Uh and it would 

921
00:35:36,830 --> 00:35:38,830
be foolish for us to just throw the 

922
00:35:38,830 --> 00:35:41,380
kitchen sink at them and then not have 

923
00:35:41,390 --> 00:35:43,960
any flexibility as the war changes to 

924
00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,140
make changes in the moment . Now , I 

925
00:35:47,140 --> 00:35:49,307
understand President Zelensky wants as 

926
00:35:49,307 --> 00:35:51,418
much as he can as fast as he can to I 

927
00:35:51,418 --> 00:35:53,418
mean , his country is under siege , 

928
00:35:53,418 --> 00:35:55,084
it's under attack , perfectly 

929
00:35:55,084 --> 00:35:57,307
understand that . Um , but we've got to 

930
00:35:57,307 --> 00:35:59,529
make sure that we're helping him in the 

931
00:35:59,529 --> 00:36:01,584
most effective way and we believe we 

932
00:36:01,584 --> 00:36:03,850
are . Um and we'll see what the , you 

933
00:36:03,850 --> 00:36:05,961
know what future packages look like , 

934
00:36:05,961 --> 00:36:07,961
but I guarantee you , whatever they 

935
00:36:07,961 --> 00:36:10,183
look like they're , they're going to be 

936
00:36:10,183 --> 00:36:12,810
tailored based on the Ukrainians needs 

937
00:36:12,820 --> 00:36:14,653
in the moment and what they most 

938
00:36:14,653 --> 00:36:18,260
require that 

939
00:36:18,510 --> 00:36:22,190
Ukraine can continue to wait 

940
00:36:23,430 --> 00:36:26,650
while the pentagon and the suppliers 

941
00:36:26,650 --> 00:36:29,020
that you work with around the world can 

942
00:36:29,020 --> 00:36:30,910
contemplate these moments as they 

943
00:36:30,910 --> 00:36:33,280
emerge . I'm just asking if there's a 

944
00:36:33,290 --> 00:36:35,430
different way that you might be 

945
00:36:35,430 --> 00:36:37,541
thinking about doing business , we're 

946
00:36:37,541 --> 00:36:39,708
always wanting to improve . I mean I'm 

947
00:36:39,708 --> 00:36:41,763
not nobody's gonna stand up here and 

948
00:36:41,763 --> 00:36:43,819
say we do everything perfectly every 

949
00:36:43,819 --> 00:36:45,930
single time . Um and if there's a way 

950
00:36:46,010 --> 00:36:49,820
to get more stuff there faster um we'll 

951
00:36:49,820 --> 00:36:52,000
stay open to that . Absolutely . Um 

952
00:36:52,010 --> 00:36:55,710
nobody uh nobody is boasting here , 

953
00:36:55,710 --> 00:36:57,988
nobody's patting ourselves on the back . 

954
00:36:57,988 --> 00:37:00,610
But let me just stress again the 

955
00:37:00,610 --> 00:37:02,721
incredible speed and scale with which 

956
00:37:02,721 --> 00:37:04,610
material is getting over there in 

957
00:37:04,610 --> 00:37:06,832
recent memory in recent history , truly 

958
00:37:06,832 --> 00:37:08,777
unprecedented . And that is not an 

959
00:37:08,777 --> 00:37:11,054
exaggeration from the time . As I said , 

960
00:37:11,054 --> 00:37:13,110
the president authorized this latest 

961
00:37:13,110 --> 00:37:16,880
800 million on 13 April At 48 

962
00:37:16,890 --> 00:37:19,040
hours later on the 15th . The first 

963
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:21,550
plane was taken off with stuff in that 

964
00:37:21,550 --> 00:37:23,606
package . And we're still completing 

965
00:37:23,606 --> 00:37:25,661
prior packages of of things that are 

966
00:37:25,661 --> 00:37:27,550
still getting in there . So every 

967
00:37:27,550 --> 00:37:29,772
single day at these transshipment sites 

968
00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,360
in europe there's somewhere on the on 

969
00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:34,360
the neighborhood of 8 to 10 flights 

970
00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:36,471
coming in and they're not all U . S . 

971
00:37:36,471 --> 00:37:38,693
Flights and they're not all coming from 

972
00:37:38,693 --> 00:37:40,916
America but 8 to 10 flights . And every 

973
00:37:40,916 --> 00:37:42,860
single day . Barb that material is 

974
00:37:42,860 --> 00:37:45,027
getting put on pallets and putting and 

975
00:37:45,027 --> 00:37:45,000
put on the ground delivery , 

976
00:37:47,030 --> 00:37:49,360
transportation means and getting into 

977
00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:52,710
Ukraine via a various amount of of of 

978
00:37:52,710 --> 00:37:56,050
routes we are a week ago . 

979
00:37:56,430 --> 00:37:59,200
You knew that done boss was the target . 

980
00:37:59,210 --> 00:38:01,321
You might not have known . A week ago 

981
00:38:01,321 --> 00:38:03,543
we were talking to the Ukrainians about 

982
00:38:03,543 --> 00:38:05,710
what they would need as that fight was 

983
00:38:05,710 --> 00:38:07,960
was was following up . Well , you're 

984
00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:10,293
going to say that you won't answer this , 

985
00:38:10,293 --> 00:38:14,080
but mhm Good . I 

986
00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,930
won't have they laid out to you , 

987
00:38:17,940 --> 00:38:20,051
even if you don't want to say what it 

988
00:38:20,051 --> 00:38:22,350
is , have they laid out to you the next 

989
00:38:22,350 --> 00:38:24,517
phase of what they think they need And 

990
00:38:24,517 --> 00:38:26,910
are you hearing that they are satisfied 

991
00:38:26,920 --> 00:38:29,650
with a phased approach ? If not sliced , 

992
00:38:29,660 --> 00:38:33,510
it is phased . Yeah , I would tell you 

993
00:38:33,510 --> 00:38:37,290
that we are having constant discussions 

994
00:38:37,300 --> 00:38:39,467
with the Ukrainians . I I don't want , 

995
00:38:39,467 --> 00:38:41,578
I mean , I don't want to leave you or 

996
00:38:41,578 --> 00:38:43,689
anybody else with the impression that 

997
00:38:43,689 --> 00:38:46,440
that that it is as David describes 

998
00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:48,773
sliced like a piece of cake like , okay , 

999
00:38:48,773 --> 00:38:50,940
this is what you're gonna get and then 

1000
00:38:50,940 --> 00:38:52,996
we don't talk to him again until the 

1001
00:38:52,996 --> 00:38:55,051
next piece of cake is needed . We're 

1002
00:38:55,051 --> 00:38:57,162
talking to him all the time . So even 

1003
00:38:57,162 --> 00:39:00,380
after we arranged for this $800 million 

1004
00:39:00,380 --> 00:39:02,436
security package , in fact , even as 

1005
00:39:02,436 --> 00:39:04,602
that discussion was going on and those 

1006
00:39:04,602 --> 00:39:06,713
decisions were being made and the and 

1007
00:39:06,713 --> 00:39:08,824
the sourcing was being done . We were 

1008
00:39:08,824 --> 00:39:08,720
having discussions with Ukrainians 

1009
00:39:08,720 --> 00:39:10,887
about future needs and what that might 

1010
00:39:10,887 --> 00:39:13,250
look like . And those discussions have 

1011
00:39:13,250 --> 00:39:15,500
happened since the 13th of april and 

1012
00:39:15,500 --> 00:39:17,722
we'll see where it goes , I'm not going 

1013
00:39:17,722 --> 00:39:19,889
to get ahead of decisions that haven't 

1014
00:39:19,889 --> 00:39:19,390
been announced yet , but it is a 

1015
00:39:19,390 --> 00:39:21,612
constant conversation that we're having 

1016
00:39:21,612 --> 00:39:23,557
with them . It's not it's not just 

1017
00:39:23,557 --> 00:39:25,723
slice one and be done and wait for the 

1018
00:39:25,723 --> 00:39:27,834
next one . And and you know , we hang 

1019
00:39:27,834 --> 00:39:29,834
up the phone and don't talk to each 

1020
00:39:29,834 --> 00:39:31,779
other for a few days until there's 

1021
00:39:31,779 --> 00:39:31,640
another acute need . That's not how 

1022
00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:33,850
this is going . It's a constant 

1023
00:39:33,850 --> 00:39:37,840
conversation . Yeah go ahead . Thank 

1024
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:40,062
you so much . My question is also about 

1025
00:39:40,062 --> 00:39:42,007
the U . S . Security assistance to 

1026
00:39:42,007 --> 00:39:43,951
Ukraine . So as you mentioned , if 

1027
00:39:43,951 --> 00:39:45,951
there is an additional request from 

1028
00:39:45,951 --> 00:39:49,480
Ukraine for fractional weapons . So how 

1029
00:39:49,490 --> 00:39:53,050
could us manage and balance between the 

1030
00:39:53,060 --> 00:39:55,800
security need for Ukraine and the risk 

1031
00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:57,540
of escalation in light of 

1032
00:39:58,350 --> 00:40:01,930
threat to destroy 

1033
00:40:02,310 --> 00:40:04,650
Western weapons . I don't know if I 

1034
00:40:04,660 --> 00:40:06,716
completely understand the question , 

1035
00:40:06,716 --> 00:40:09,670
but if you're asking me how are 

1036
00:40:11,170 --> 00:40:13,770
risk of escalation escalation ? Look 

1037
00:40:13,780 --> 00:40:15,558
I've talked about this before , 

1038
00:40:17,710 --> 00:40:19,766
our main focus is on helping Ukraine 

1039
00:40:19,766 --> 00:40:22,090
defend itself . And that means talking 

1040
00:40:22,090 --> 00:40:24,146
to them about what their needs are . 

1041
00:40:24,146 --> 00:40:26,270
And if it's a need we can meet or we 

1042
00:40:26,270 --> 00:40:28,900
know somebody else can meet . We'll do 

1043
00:40:28,900 --> 00:40:30,956
that . The secretary is literally on 

1044
00:40:30,956 --> 00:40:33,200
the phone every day talking to allies 

1045
00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:35,540
and partners including this day and 

1046
00:40:35,540 --> 00:40:38,030
we'll include tomorrow and thursday and 

1047
00:40:38,030 --> 00:40:40,350
friday to talk to allies and partners 

1048
00:40:40,350 --> 00:40:42,517
about these needs . And if it's a need 

1049
00:40:42,517 --> 00:40:45,060
we can't meet or we can't meet soon 

1050
00:40:45,060 --> 00:40:47,470
enough , then maybe an ally or partner 

1051
00:40:47,470 --> 00:40:49,303
can and he's having those active 

1052
00:40:49,303 --> 00:40:51,890
discussions uh , literally every single 

1053
00:40:51,890 --> 00:40:54,780
day . Um , and look , of course , as 

1054
00:40:54,780 --> 00:40:56,836
the Secretary of Defense , he has to 

1055
00:40:56,836 --> 00:40:58,836
think about escalation management , 

1056
00:40:58,836 --> 00:41:00,724
that's his job . Um , it would be 

1057
00:41:00,724 --> 00:41:02,613
irresponsible for him not to when 

1058
00:41:02,613 --> 00:41:05,320
you're talking about a guy uh like Mr 

1059
00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:07,487
Putin with his reputation and the fact 

1060
00:41:07,487 --> 00:41:10,160
that he has uh , nuclear capabilities , 

1061
00:41:10,170 --> 00:41:13,160
um and and also has a significant 

1062
00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,049
amount of combat capability still 

1063
00:41:15,049 --> 00:41:17,049
available to him in Ukraine . Um it 

1064
00:41:17,049 --> 00:41:19,049
would be foolhardy and in fact , it 

1065
00:41:19,049 --> 00:41:21,160
would be again , I said irresponsible 

1066
00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:23,049
if we weren't also thinking about 

1067
00:41:23,049 --> 00:41:25,216
escalation management . Um , so that's 

1068
00:41:25,216 --> 00:41:27,327
a that's a balance that the secretary 

1069
00:41:27,327 --> 00:41:29,549
has to strike every day , but the focus 

1070
00:41:29,690 --> 00:41:31,930
is and will remain on helping Ukraine 

1071
00:41:31,930 --> 00:41:34,900
defend itself , john on Russian 

1072
00:41:34,910 --> 00:41:37,132
resupply efforts , There was discussion 

1073
00:41:37,132 --> 00:41:39,243
yesterday that Western sanctions were 

1074
00:41:39,243 --> 00:41:41,410
hampering precision guided munitions . 

1075
00:41:41,410 --> 00:41:43,521
President Zelensky mentioned that was 

1076
00:41:43,521 --> 00:41:45,743
broader than maybe even helicopters and 

1077
00:41:45,743 --> 00:41:47,743
another type of equipment . What is 

1078
00:41:47,743 --> 00:41:51,130
your sense beyond Western sanctions of 

1079
00:41:51,390 --> 00:41:53,790
the Russian military's ability to 

1080
00:41:53,790 --> 00:41:56,100
resupply itself as it gears up for this 

1081
00:41:56,100 --> 00:41:59,030
next phase beyond the sanctions . Well , 

1082
00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:01,887
including sanctions as well . I mean , 

1083
00:42:01,887 --> 00:42:04,110
it's generally its ability to resupply 

1084
00:42:04,110 --> 00:42:06,120
itself . Yeah . Um , 

1085
00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:13,330
Mr Putin still has a lot of his 

1086
00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:16,930
inventory available to him . Um , no , 

1087
00:42:17,300 --> 00:42:20,140
some of it's been depleted , um , some 

1088
00:42:20,140 --> 00:42:22,251
of it's been destroyed , some of it's 

1089
00:42:22,251 --> 00:42:25,270
been captured , but he still has a lot 

1090
00:42:25,270 --> 00:42:27,492
of combat capability available to him . 

1091
00:42:27,500 --> 00:42:30,580
Um uh And I think it's important for us 

1092
00:42:30,580 --> 00:42:33,430
to just remember that um 

1093
00:42:36,300 --> 00:42:38,620
I couldn't tell you I I don't know 

1094
00:42:38,630 --> 00:42:42,170
specifically what concerns they might 

1095
00:42:42,170 --> 00:42:44,059
have in Russia about supply chain 

1096
00:42:44,059 --> 00:42:47,720
issues and their own defense industrial 

1097
00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:51,040
base and how well it can replenish uh 

1098
00:42:51,050 --> 00:42:53,217
the inventory that he's gone through . 

1099
00:42:53,217 --> 00:42:56,150
Uh But one would have to assume that 

1100
00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:57,993
that they're thinking about that 

1101
00:42:57,993 --> 00:42:59,993
because even though they have a lot 

1102
00:42:59,993 --> 00:43:02,327
left to them they've gone through a lot . 

1103
00:43:02,327 --> 00:43:06,090
Um And it's our it's our belief that uh 

1104
00:43:06,100 --> 00:43:07,989
that some of the sanctions levied 

1105
00:43:07,989 --> 00:43:10,100
against Russia will have a downstream 

1106
00:43:10,100 --> 00:43:12,044
effect on their ability to procure 

1107
00:43:12,044 --> 00:43:14,100
certain items and components to help 

1108
00:43:14,100 --> 00:43:16,890
them with their with their with their 

1109
00:43:16,890 --> 00:43:19,057
inventory and their stocks , precision 

1110
00:43:19,057 --> 00:43:21,168
guided munitions is a good example of 

1111
00:43:21,168 --> 00:43:23,780
that but I don't want to overstate that 

1112
00:43:23,780 --> 00:43:26,130
right now . Mr . Putin still has quite 

1113
00:43:26,130 --> 00:43:27,852
a bit of combat capability and 

1114
00:43:27,852 --> 00:43:29,963
inventory available to him . And in a 

1115
00:43:29,963 --> 00:43:31,852
couple of months ago ahead of the 

1116
00:43:31,852 --> 00:43:34,074
initial invasion there was an awful lot 

1117
00:43:34,074 --> 00:43:33,670
of talk about the consequences of the 

1118
00:43:33,670 --> 00:43:35,860
weather and freezing . And as this 

1119
00:43:35,860 --> 00:43:38,710
phase in the Donbass begins to ramp up 

1120
00:43:38,720 --> 00:43:40,940
um what's your sense of what Russia's 

1121
00:43:40,940 --> 00:43:43,162
capability could be given that you know 

1122
00:43:43,162 --> 00:43:45,162
we're well past the ground freezing 

1123
00:43:45,162 --> 00:43:47,273
there and the inability even with the 

1124
00:43:47,273 --> 00:43:49,218
ground frozen for them to maneuver 

1125
00:43:49,218 --> 00:43:51,440
outside of roadways . Yeah I think it's 

1126
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:53,551
the weather is always a factor in war 

1127
00:43:53,551 --> 00:43:55,662
and , and the spring weather ? It's , 

1128
00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:58,567
uh , it has , we , we know it's been a 

1129
00:43:58,567 --> 00:44:00,567
factor for , for frankly , for both 

1130
00:44:00,567 --> 00:44:03,090
sides . Um , even of just even just 

1131
00:44:03,100 --> 00:44:06,840
even just this week , the , the ground 

1132
00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:09,400
as it is , makes it harder for them to 

1133
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,830
operate off of paved roads and highways , 

1134
00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:15,062
um , doesn't make it impossible because 

1135
00:44:15,062 --> 00:44:17,270
they do have tracked vehicles , but , 

1136
00:44:17,280 --> 00:44:19,058
but it does make it more , more 

1137
00:44:19,058 --> 00:44:21,360
difficult again . I think taking 10 

1138
00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:23,360
steps back and just remembering , I 

1139
00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:25,416
know I say this all the time , but I 

1140
00:44:25,416 --> 00:44:27,304
think it's important to keep foot 

1141
00:44:27,304 --> 00:44:29,138
stomping it . This is an area of 

1142
00:44:29,138 --> 00:44:31,249
Ukraine that they have literally been 

1143
00:44:31,249 --> 00:44:30,580
fighting over now for eight years . 

1144
00:44:30,590 --> 00:44:32,890
Both sides know the terrain , they know 

1145
00:44:32,890 --> 00:44:35,001
where the roads are , they know where 

1146
00:44:35,001 --> 00:44:36,834
they're not , uh , they know the 

1147
00:44:36,834 --> 00:44:38,946
population centers , uh , and , and , 

1148
00:44:38,946 --> 00:44:42,260
and both sides are doing what they can 

1149
00:44:42,260 --> 00:44:44,280
to achieve their own goals in the 

1150
00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:46,370
Donbass . But this is not a part of 

1151
00:44:46,370 --> 00:44:48,537
Ukraine that's alien to them . The way 

1152
00:44:48,537 --> 00:44:50,592
the north part of Ukraine and around 

1153
00:44:50,592 --> 00:44:52,648
china heave And Kiev was in terms of 

1154
00:44:52,648 --> 00:44:54,759
operational maneuver . Um , this is a 

1155
00:44:54,759 --> 00:44:56,870
part of Ukraine that they , that they 

1156
00:44:56,870 --> 00:45:00,590
understand . Well , non Ukraine , let 

1157
00:45:00,590 --> 00:45:02,910
me just get through . I got a couple 

1158
00:45:02,910 --> 00:45:05,132
more on the phone and then come back to 

1159
00:45:05,132 --> 00:45:07,132
you . Uh , kelly from news nation . 

1160
00:45:09,190 --> 00:45:11,079
Hey , john , thanks for taking my 

1161
00:45:11,079 --> 00:45:13,301
questions . Some of the other ones were 

1162
00:45:13,301 --> 00:45:15,523
asked already . So I will , um , I have 

1163
00:45:15,523 --> 00:45:17,634
one on a separate topic that I wanted 

1164
00:45:17,634 --> 00:45:19,746
to ask you about . Just in terms of , 

1165
00:45:19,746 --> 00:45:21,857
um , any more specifics on the deaths 

1166
00:45:21,857 --> 00:45:23,801
of the sailors assigned to the USs 

1167
00:45:23,801 --> 00:45:25,912
George Washington ? Any connection on 

1168
00:45:25,912 --> 00:45:27,912
those deaths ? I would refer to the 

1169
00:45:27,912 --> 00:45:30,890
navy kelly . My understanding from 

1170
00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:33,210
speaking to navy officials this morning 

1171
00:45:33,210 --> 00:45:35,266
is that , I mean , obviously they're 

1172
00:45:35,266 --> 00:45:37,488
still investigating these deaths . Um , 

1173
00:45:37,488 --> 00:45:39,654
I don't believe that they are aware of 

1174
00:45:39,654 --> 00:45:41,654
any indications that they are , are 

1175
00:45:41,654 --> 00:45:44,440
related , but that , that's what they 

1176
00:45:44,450 --> 00:45:46,672
believe right now . And I want to , you 

1177
00:45:46,672 --> 00:45:48,672
know , I think we need to give them 

1178
00:45:48,672 --> 00:45:50,617
time to properly investigate these 

1179
00:45:50,617 --> 00:45:52,950
deaths . Uh , and I would just add that , 

1180
00:45:52,950 --> 00:45:54,728
um , that all of us here at the 

1181
00:45:54,728 --> 00:45:56,783
Department of Defense , our thoughts 

1182
00:45:56,783 --> 00:45:59,117
and prayers go out to the families , uh , 

1183
00:45:59,117 --> 00:46:01,450
for those , uh , those sailors who , uh , 

1184
00:46:01,450 --> 00:46:03,617
who are now no longer in the ranks . I 

1185
00:46:03,617 --> 00:46:06,000
mean , that's , these are now , um , 

1186
00:46:06,010 --> 00:46:08,250
gonna be families getting the worst 

1187
00:46:08,250 --> 00:46:09,972
possible news and dealing with 

1188
00:46:09,972 --> 00:46:12,030
unspeakable grief . And I just think 

1189
00:46:12,030 --> 00:46:14,197
it's important that they know that the 

1190
00:46:14,197 --> 00:46:16,419
Department of Defense , the Secretary , 

1191
00:46:16,419 --> 00:46:18,530
we're gonna , we'll give them all the 

1192
00:46:18,530 --> 00:46:18,500
support that they , that they deserve 

1193
00:46:19,780 --> 00:46:23,220
heather from us . And I thank you so 

1194
00:46:23,220 --> 00:46:25,387
much . Um , I was wondering if there's 

1195
00:46:25,387 --> 00:46:27,442
any update on the Moscow in terms of 

1196
00:46:27,442 --> 00:46:29,387
the number of crew that might have 

1197
00:46:29,387 --> 00:46:31,609
survived or a number of those who might 

1198
00:46:31,609 --> 00:46:33,776
have perished in the sinking . Don't , 

1199
00:46:33,776 --> 00:46:35,776
and I don't think heather that will 

1200
00:46:35,776 --> 00:46:38,370
ever , you know , perfectly how many 

1201
00:46:38,470 --> 00:46:40,526
sailors perished aboard the ship and 

1202
00:46:40,526 --> 00:46:44,170
how many survived . I mean um just in 

1203
00:46:44,170 --> 00:46:48,100
general , we we do not believe that 

1204
00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:50,478
that every member of the crew survived , 

1205
00:46:50,980 --> 00:46:53,250
but how they perished , how many 

1206
00:46:53,250 --> 00:46:56,200
perished ? We just don't know tom 

1207
00:46:56,680 --> 00:46:59,880
thanks john after focusing on the south 

1208
00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:01,991
china sea china now is increasing its 

1209
00:47:01,991 --> 00:47:04,340
activity in the east china sea . And 

1210
00:47:04,340 --> 00:47:06,562
the Japanese have for the last three or 

1211
00:47:06,562 --> 00:47:08,729
four days have expressed great concern 

1212
00:47:08,729 --> 00:47:10,784
about the Yonaguni islands which are 

1213
00:47:10,784 --> 00:47:12,951
very close to Taiwan where the US used 

1214
00:47:12,951 --> 00:47:15,118
to have a military presence . Um Is it 

1215
00:47:15,118 --> 00:47:17,340
possible , would would that be possible 

1216
00:47:17,340 --> 00:47:19,507
for the U . S . To reconsider ? I know 

1217
00:47:19,507 --> 00:47:21,618
it's speculation but I mean they were 

1218
00:47:21,618 --> 00:47:23,729
there once before but given the state 

1219
00:47:23,729 --> 00:47:25,673
of the Japanese constitution which 

1220
00:47:25,673 --> 00:47:28,120
limits their military ability to 

1221
00:47:28,130 --> 00:47:30,297
consider reinforcing the Japanese have 

1222
00:47:30,297 --> 00:47:33,060
asked , I don't have any decisions like 

1223
00:47:33,060 --> 00:47:35,610
that to speak to tom . I mean obviously 

1224
00:47:35,620 --> 00:47:37,676
Japan is a treaty ally . We take our 

1225
00:47:37,676 --> 00:47:40,490
responsibilities for their self defense 

1226
00:47:40,500 --> 00:47:42,500
very , very seriously . But I'm not 

1227
00:47:42,500 --> 00:47:44,056
aware of any discussions or 

1228
00:47:44,056 --> 00:47:46,278
conversations here at the department of 

1229
00:47:46,278 --> 00:47:48,333
changing the posture with respect to 

1230
00:47:48,333 --> 00:47:50,500
the east china sea . Okay , I gotta go 

1231
00:47:50,500 --> 00:47:52,611
take one more , go ahead just jumping 

1232
00:47:52,611 --> 00:47:55,520
on tom's bandwagon here . There there 

1233
00:47:55,520 --> 00:47:57,940
have been discussions in europe ongoing 

1234
00:47:57,950 --> 00:48:00,360
now about concerns of china's 

1235
00:48:00,370 --> 00:48:02,810
increasing influence where on the 

1236
00:48:02,810 --> 00:48:04,720
spectrum of intensity and time 

1237
00:48:04,720 --> 00:48:06,831
sensitivity . Do you see that kind of 

1238
00:48:06,831 --> 00:48:09,580
worry , I think we've long been 

1239
00:48:09,580 --> 00:48:11,358
concerned about china's growing 

1240
00:48:11,358 --> 00:48:13,469
influence around the world to include 

1241
00:48:13,469 --> 00:48:15,691
europe and I would you know , note that 

1242
00:48:15,691 --> 00:48:17,802
it's not just the United States , but 

1243
00:48:17,802 --> 00:48:19,636
but our NATO allies are likewise 

1244
00:48:19,636 --> 00:48:21,691
concerned at the defense ministerial 

1245
00:48:21,691 --> 00:48:23,858
earlier this year , not the last one , 

1246
00:48:23,858 --> 00:48:26,490
but uh back in the , back in the fall 

1247
00:48:26,500 --> 00:48:29,410
um for the for the first time , NATO 

1248
00:48:29,410 --> 00:48:31,466
defense ministers put concerns about 

1249
00:48:31,466 --> 00:48:33,577
china in the communique at the end of 

1250
00:48:33,577 --> 00:48:35,577
the defense ministerial . So it's a 

1251
00:48:35,577 --> 00:48:37,577
concern that that many nations have 

1252
00:48:37,577 --> 00:48:41,390
about growing chinese influence uh that 

1253
00:48:41,670 --> 00:48:43,781
that is inimical to many of their own 

1254
00:48:43,781 --> 00:48:46,059
national security goals and objectives . 

1255
00:48:46,059 --> 00:48:47,948
And it's not just there , it's in 

1256
00:48:47,948 --> 00:48:50,003
africa , it's in south America uh in 

1257
00:48:50,003 --> 00:48:52,114
the chinese continued to try to bully 

1258
00:48:52,114 --> 00:48:54,660
and intimidate their way into pursuing 

1259
00:48:54,660 --> 00:48:56,660
their own selfish national security 

1260
00:48:56,660 --> 00:48:58,382
interests at the expense of of 

1261
00:48:58,382 --> 00:49:00,549
populations all around the world . You 

1262
00:49:00,549 --> 00:49:03,930
see them using the focus now on Ukraine . 

1263
00:49:03,940 --> 00:49:06,290
Justly so do you see this as an 

1264
00:49:06,290 --> 00:49:08,401
opportunity ? Are taking advantage of 

1265
00:49:08,401 --> 00:49:10,123
an opportunity here to sort of 

1266
00:49:10,123 --> 00:49:12,234
intensify their activities are up ? I 

1267
00:49:12,234 --> 00:49:14,012
don't I don't know that they're 

1268
00:49:14,012 --> 00:49:16,179
necessarily , you can pin this kind of 

1269
00:49:16,179 --> 00:49:18,346
behavior just on on what's going on in 

1270
00:49:18,346 --> 00:49:20,401
in Ukraine or that they somehow view 

1271
00:49:20,401 --> 00:49:19,240
that the rest of the world is 

1272
00:49:19,240 --> 00:49:21,462
distracted by Ukraine . I mean this has 

1273
00:49:21,462 --> 00:49:23,573
been a consistent play by the chinese 

1274
00:49:23,573 --> 00:49:26,060
for the last several years . Okay , 

1275
00:49:26,070 --> 00:49:26,860
thanks everybody