1 00:00:01,830 --> 00:00:04,760 Zira , Welcome back . 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:07,751 Thank you so much . Good to see you . 3 00:00:08,090 --> 00:00:10,670 Okay , lots to get through to start . 4 00:00:10,670 --> 00:00:14,040 So first off , I think you all know , 5 00:00:14,050 --> 00:00:16,272 the secretary had a chance to meet with 6 00:00:16,272 --> 00:00:18,290 his well with the Ukrainian Prime 7 00:00:18,290 --> 00:00:21,280 Minister , Dennis Schmidt Hall at the 8 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,990 pentagon here today to affirm our 9 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,220 unwavering US support for Ukraine and 10 00:00:26,220 --> 00:00:28,320 the humanitarian situation In that 11 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,750 country . The secretary highlighted the 12 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:32,538 authorization of a presidential 13 00:00:32,538 --> 00:00:34,760 drawdown . The additional drawdown that 14 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,871 you saw today of $800 million dollars 15 00:00:36,871 --> 00:00:38,704 that's tailored to meet critical 16 00:00:38,704 --> 00:00:41,310 Ukrainian needs for today's fight . As 17 00:00:41,310 --> 00:00:43,199 Russian forces launched a renewed 18 00:00:43,199 --> 00:00:46,630 offensive in eastern Ukraine . This 19 00:00:46,630 --> 00:00:49,760 authorization Is the 8th drawdown 20 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:51,907 of equipment from D . O . D . 21 00:00:51,907 --> 00:00:55,290 Inventories for Ukraine . Uh since uh 22 00:00:55,300 --> 00:00:58,460 since august of 2021 capabilities 23 00:00:58,470 --> 00:01:00,890 include and you can see it up there 70 24 00:01:00,890 --> 00:01:04,110 to 1 55 millimeter howitzers and 25 00:01:04,110 --> 00:01:08,070 144,000 rounds , 72 tactical 26 00:01:08,070 --> 00:01:10,237 vehicles , vehicles which are designed 27 00:01:10,237 --> 00:01:13,420 to tow uh the hausers , Uh more than 28 00:01:13,470 --> 00:01:15,380 100 and 20 Phoenix ghost tactical 29 00:01:15,390 --> 00:01:17,750 unmanned aerial systems as well as of 30 00:01:17,750 --> 00:01:19,720 course field equipment and uh and 31 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:21,760 additional spare parts . This 32 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,070 commitment , together with the 18 33 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,830 Howitzers that were announced on 13 34 00:01:26,830 --> 00:01:29,490 April , provide enough artillery now to 35 00:01:29,490 --> 00:01:32,850 equip five battalions for Ukraine for 36 00:01:32,850 --> 00:01:34,880 potential use in the Donbas . And I 37 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,100 want to stress again that what we're 38 00:01:37,100 --> 00:01:39,267 providing is done in full consultation 39 00:01:39,267 --> 00:01:41,680 with the Ukrainians and that they that 40 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,120 they believe that these systems will be 41 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,120 helpful to them in the fight in the 42 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,287 Donbas where and when they employ them 43 00:01:48,287 --> 00:01:50,342 and how they employ them . Of course 44 00:01:50,342 --> 00:01:52,453 it's gonna be up to them . The United 45 00:01:52,453 --> 00:01:54,564 States has now committed more than $4 46 00:01:54,564 --> 00:01:56,670 billion Biden administration , 47 00:01:56,670 --> 00:01:59,340 including 3.4 billion just since the 48 00:01:59,340 --> 00:02:01,670 beginning of the invasion on 24 49 00:02:01,670 --> 00:02:04,540 February . The United States also 50 00:02:04,540 --> 00:02:06,651 continues to work with its allies and 51 00:02:06,651 --> 00:02:08,484 partners to identify and provide 52 00:02:08,484 --> 00:02:10,540 Ukraine with additional capabilities 53 00:02:10,540 --> 00:02:12,762 and we're gonna continue to utilize all 54 00:02:12,762 --> 00:02:14,818 available tools to support Ukraine's 55 00:02:14,818 --> 00:02:16,818 armed forces in the face of Russian 56 00:02:16,818 --> 00:02:18,910 aggression . Additionally , earlier 57 00:02:18,910 --> 00:02:21,210 today , the secretary met with his uh 58 00:02:21,220 --> 00:02:23,387 Czech counterpart , Defense Minister , 59 00:02:23,387 --> 00:02:26,520 uh Yana Chair Neykova to discuss 60 00:02:26,530 --> 00:02:28,820 ongoing security assistance for Ukraine 61 00:02:29,070 --> 00:02:30,792 and continuing efforts to help 62 00:02:30,792 --> 00:02:32,940 strengthen NATO's eastern flank . And 63 00:02:32,940 --> 00:02:34,996 then finally , of course , I think , 64 00:02:34,996 --> 00:02:36,940 you know , the Secretary conducted 65 00:02:36,940 --> 00:02:39,107 calls with his counterparts in Germany 66 00:02:39,107 --> 00:02:41,273 and France to discuss ongoing security 67 00:02:41,273 --> 00:02:43,384 assistance efforts in Ukraine and for 68 00:02:43,384 --> 00:02:42,990 Ukraine , he thanked each of these 69 00:02:42,990 --> 00:02:45,390 leaders as well for all their 70 00:02:45,390 --> 00:02:47,501 contributions . And we'll have a full 71 00:02:47,501 --> 00:02:51,080 readout of of those discussions a 72 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,080 little bit later . But it is again of a 73 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,720 piece of the Secretary's continued 74 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,400 efforts to consult and to 75 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,640 communicate with allies and partners , 76 00:03:03,320 --> 00:03:05,542 not only in europe but around the world 77 00:03:05,740 --> 00:03:08,790 to try to improve Ukraine's ability to 78 00:03:08,790 --> 00:03:10,790 defend itself because some of these 79 00:03:10,790 --> 00:03:12,901 allies and partners have capabilities 80 00:03:12,901 --> 00:03:15,012 that they can provide that we can't . 81 00:03:15,012 --> 00:03:17,234 Uh And so he has been literally working 82 00:03:17,234 --> 00:03:19,457 this personally every single day and to 83 00:03:19,457 --> 00:03:21,401 that end , I can announce that the 84 00:03:21,401 --> 00:03:23,512 secretary will be hosting a number of 85 00:03:23,512 --> 00:03:25,679 his counterparts for a Ukraine defense 86 00:03:25,679 --> 00:03:27,901 consultative group At Ramstein Air Base 87 00:03:27,901 --> 00:03:31,780 on the 26th next week . The goal was to 88 00:03:31,780 --> 00:03:33,836 bring together stakeholders from all 89 00:03:33,836 --> 00:03:35,669 around the world for a series of 90 00:03:35,669 --> 00:03:37,836 meetings on the latest Ukraine defense 91 00:03:37,836 --> 00:03:39,780 needs . And and this is critically 92 00:03:39,780 --> 00:03:41,780 important , ensuring that Ukraine's 93 00:03:41,780 --> 00:03:43,947 enduring security and sovereignty over 94 00:03:43,947 --> 00:03:46,610 the long term is respected and 95 00:03:46,620 --> 00:03:50,510 developed , topics will range on the 96 00:03:50,510 --> 00:03:52,360 agenda from obviously the latest 97 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,520 battlefield assessment of the renewed 98 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,742 Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine to 99 00:03:56,742 --> 00:03:59,080 energizing the defense industrial base 100 00:03:59,340 --> 00:04:01,340 in an effort to continue the steady 101 00:04:01,340 --> 00:04:03,451 flow of security assistance and again 102 00:04:03,451 --> 00:04:05,562 in taking a longer , larger view that 103 00:04:05,562 --> 00:04:07,673 Ukraine's defense needs going forward 104 00:04:07,700 --> 00:04:09,810 beyond the war that they're facing 105 00:04:09,810 --> 00:04:11,977 right now , we think it's time to have 106 00:04:11,977 --> 00:04:13,810 that discussion as well . So the 107 00:04:13,810 --> 00:04:15,977 Secretary is very much looking forward 108 00:04:15,977 --> 00:04:18,032 to getting over to Ramstein early in 109 00:04:18,032 --> 00:04:20,254 the week to have this meeting with that 110 00:04:20,254 --> 00:04:22,990 bob . Thank you john , on that last 111 00:04:22,990 --> 00:04:25,101 point , I'm sorry , I missed it . Did 112 00:04:25,101 --> 00:04:27,101 you say that how many countries are 113 00:04:27,101 --> 00:04:29,070 represented ? We're , we're still 114 00:04:29,070 --> 00:04:31,410 working through all the invites . So I 115 00:04:31,410 --> 00:04:33,521 don't have a total list for you now , 116 00:04:33,521 --> 00:04:35,632 as soon as we can get you and we will 117 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:38,240 be much , it's not just NATO countries . 118 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:40,873 My question is actually have two 119 00:04:40,873 --> 00:04:43,040 questions about your list there on the 120 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,330 board , on the the drones , phoenix 121 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:49,350 ghost drones ? So what can you say 122 00:04:49,350 --> 00:04:51,710 about their role ? In other words , 123 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,276 broadly speaking , are they 124 00:04:53,276 --> 00:04:55,360 intelligence oriented or they attack 125 00:04:55,900 --> 00:04:59,420 oriented ? And when did you begin 126 00:04:59,430 --> 00:05:02,070 developing that asset ? And the second 127 00:05:02,070 --> 00:05:05,590 question is on the artillery 128 00:05:05,660 --> 00:05:09,310 howitzers in layman's terms . What is 129 00:05:09,310 --> 00:05:11,820 the significance of five battalions 130 00:05:11,820 --> 00:05:13,987 worth of artillery that you're helping 131 00:05:13,987 --> 00:05:16,530 the Ukrainians develop ? Uh five 132 00:05:16,530 --> 00:05:18,752 battalions of additional artillery will 133 00:05:18,752 --> 00:05:21,050 add to their , their complement of 134 00:05:21,050 --> 00:05:23,050 their own artillery battalions . It 135 00:05:23,050 --> 00:05:25,050 will , it's added firepower . Now , 136 00:05:25,050 --> 00:05:27,160 we're not putting us troops in with 137 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,271 these systems , so they're gonna have 138 00:05:29,271 --> 00:05:31,549 to provide the artillery men of course , 139 00:05:31,549 --> 00:05:33,660 but it's added capability . It's five 140 00:05:33,660 --> 00:05:35,827 more battalions , which is uh which is 141 00:05:35,827 --> 00:05:37,882 quite quite the numbers , you know , 142 00:05:37,882 --> 00:05:41,250 hundreds of additional troops to , to 143 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:43,371 to feel these systems , but there are 144 00:05:43,371 --> 00:05:45,427 additional systems and what makes it 145 00:05:45,427 --> 00:05:48,870 important uh is the kind of fighting 146 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:51,092 that we expect in the Donbas because of 147 00:05:51,092 --> 00:05:53,314 the terrain , because it's open because 148 00:05:53,314 --> 00:05:55,426 it's flat because it's not as urban . 149 00:05:55,426 --> 00:05:58,130 Um , uh , we can expect the Russians to 150 00:05:58,130 --> 00:06:00,420 rely on long range fires , artillery in 151 00:06:00,420 --> 00:06:02,570 particular . In fact bob they , we've 152 00:06:02,570 --> 00:06:05,770 seen them move in artillery units even 153 00:06:05,770 --> 00:06:07,659 before they started moving moving 154 00:06:07,659 --> 00:06:10,770 ground forces in um or I should say 155 00:06:10,770 --> 00:06:13,640 traditional infantry in um , so we know 156 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,696 that this is going to be part of the 157 00:06:15,696 --> 00:06:17,696 Russians playbook , the use of long 158 00:06:17,696 --> 00:06:19,584 range fires which are assisted by 159 00:06:19,584 --> 00:06:21,640 artillery . Uh So uh , understanding 160 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,473 that terrain , understanding the 161 00:06:23,473 --> 00:06:25,640 geography , understanding uh , Russian 162 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:27,820 doctrine here , We believed , but more 163 00:06:27,820 --> 00:06:29,876 critically , the Ukrainians believed 164 00:06:29,876 --> 00:06:32,098 that they needed additional artillery , 165 00:06:32,098 --> 00:06:34,264 firepower . And that's what these will 166 00:06:34,264 --> 00:06:36,910 offer in addition to the 18 that are 167 00:06:36,910 --> 00:06:39,420 already beginning to move in as well . 168 00:06:39,430 --> 00:06:42,830 So , um , so we're going to continue to 169 00:06:42,830 --> 00:06:44,997 have a conversation with the uh , with 170 00:06:44,997 --> 00:06:47,163 the Ukrainians about their needs going 171 00:06:47,163 --> 00:06:49,274 forward . But given the kind of fight 172 00:06:49,274 --> 00:06:51,386 that we that we expect is coming , we 173 00:06:51,386 --> 00:06:53,274 believe that this will be a force 174 00:06:53,274 --> 00:06:55,330 multiplier for them . And then the , 175 00:06:55,330 --> 00:06:58,070 the on the , the phoenix ghost , this 176 00:06:58,070 --> 00:07:01,190 is a , a drone that had had been in 177 00:07:01,190 --> 00:07:03,370 development before the invasion . 178 00:07:03,370 --> 00:07:06,620 Clearly , uh , the Air Force was 179 00:07:06,620 --> 00:07:09,560 working this um , and 180 00:07:10,740 --> 00:07:13,570 in discussions with the Ukrainians 181 00:07:13,580 --> 00:07:16,340 again about their requirements , we 182 00:07:16,340 --> 00:07:18,730 believed that that this particular 183 00:07:18,730 --> 00:07:22,290 system would very nicely suit . 184 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:24,244 Um , there needs , particularly in 185 00:07:24,244 --> 00:07:27,670 Eastern Ukraine . Um , and so it is um , 186 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:29,980 it was already in development , um , 187 00:07:29,990 --> 00:07:32,250 but we will continue to move that 188 00:07:32,250 --> 00:07:35,150 development um , in ways that that 189 00:07:35,630 --> 00:07:38,810 that that are attuned to Ukrainian 190 00:07:38,810 --> 00:07:40,940 requirements for unmanned aerial 191 00:07:40,940 --> 00:07:43,162 systems of a tactical nature in eastern 192 00:07:43,162 --> 00:07:45,390 Ukraine . I'm not the , I'm just not 193 00:07:45,390 --> 00:07:47,446 going to get into great detail about 194 00:07:47,446 --> 00:07:49,612 the specifications here . I would just 195 00:07:49,612 --> 00:07:51,834 tell you that , um , that , that , that 196 00:07:51,834 --> 00:07:54,270 this unmanned aerial system um , is 197 00:07:54,270 --> 00:07:56,600 designed for tactical operations , in 198 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,170 other words , largely and and uh , but 199 00:08:00,170 --> 00:08:03,850 not exclusively to attack targets . It 200 00:08:04,100 --> 00:08:07,390 like almost all unmanned aerial systems 201 00:08:07,390 --> 00:08:11,000 of course has optics . So it can still , 202 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,440 it can also be used . Two give you a 203 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,496 sight picture of what it's seeing of 204 00:08:16,496 --> 00:08:20,290 course . But but its principal focus 205 00:08:20,300 --> 00:08:23,370 is attack you said , particularly 206 00:08:23,370 --> 00:08:25,481 useful in eastern Ukraine . Why would 207 00:08:25,481 --> 00:08:27,703 why would that be again without getting 208 00:08:27,703 --> 00:08:31,110 into the specifications ? But the kinds 209 00:08:31,110 --> 00:08:34,760 of things this drone can do um , uh , 210 00:08:35,140 --> 00:08:37,140 lend itself well to this particular 211 00:08:37,140 --> 00:08:39,084 kind of terrain . I think I'm just 212 00:08:39,084 --> 00:08:41,196 gonna leave it at that . Um , but its 213 00:08:41,196 --> 00:08:42,918 purpose is akin to that of the 214 00:08:42,918 --> 00:08:45,084 switchblade , which we've been talking 215 00:08:45,084 --> 00:08:47,251 about in the past , which is basically 216 00:08:47,251 --> 00:08:49,362 a one way drone , an attack drone and 217 00:08:49,362 --> 00:08:49,160 that's essentially what this is 218 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:53,110 designed to do . Thank you . I have 219 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:56,760 two questions . Pretty technical one . 220 00:08:56,770 --> 00:08:58,659 I don't know you may already have 221 00:08:58,659 --> 00:09:00,548 answered that , but the technical 222 00:09:00,548 --> 00:09:02,659 question that the chances of me being 223 00:09:02,659 --> 00:09:04,881 able to answer are slim . But please go 224 00:09:04,881 --> 00:09:07,450 ahead that the US is providing , Are 225 00:09:07,450 --> 00:09:11,310 there more , do they have a 226 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,570 longer range than what the Russians 227 00:09:14,570 --> 00:09:17,820 have ? Or are there more precise ? So 228 00:09:17,820 --> 00:09:19,764 that's my first question . And the 229 00:09:19,764 --> 00:09:22,820 second one is , the President said that 230 00:09:22,830 --> 00:09:26,210 Putin would never succeed . So does it 231 00:09:26,210 --> 00:09:29,300 mean that the objective of the 232 00:09:29,310 --> 00:09:32,780 western assistance to Ukraine 233 00:09:32,790 --> 00:09:35,770 is now to push completely the Russians 234 00:09:35,780 --> 00:09:39,380 out of Ukraine instead of only avoid 235 00:09:39,390 --> 00:09:41,501 change of regime ? Well , look on the 236 00:09:41,501 --> 00:09:43,723 howitzers again , not an artilleryman . 237 00:09:43,723 --> 00:09:47,050 So , um , this is also for an advance 238 00:09:47,050 --> 00:09:49,550 of mike's inevitable questions I'm not 239 00:09:49,550 --> 00:09:51,272 going to get into the specific 240 00:09:51,272 --> 00:09:55,210 specifications on the M 777 howitzer ? 241 00:09:55,220 --> 00:09:57,442 Um , My understanding is it does have a 242 00:09:57,442 --> 00:09:59,442 very long range and this particular 243 00:09:59,442 --> 00:10:01,609 variant has a longer range . I can see 244 00:10:01,609 --> 00:10:03,609 mike nodding . So I must be on good 245 00:10:03,609 --> 00:10:05,831 ground here . Um , but I'm not going to 246 00:10:05,831 --> 00:10:05,490 get into the specifics of it . And look , 247 00:10:05,500 --> 00:10:09,150 I am I it should be clear to all of you 248 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,430 already that I am no expert on american 249 00:10:11,430 --> 00:10:13,319 artillery . I am certainly not an 250 00:10:13,319 --> 00:10:15,208 expert on soviet artillery . So I 251 00:10:15,208 --> 00:10:17,374 couldn't tell you how much better this 252 00:10:17,374 --> 00:10:19,486 is than soviet artillery . Um , I can 253 00:10:19,486 --> 00:10:21,374 just tell you that as an american 254 00:10:21,374 --> 00:10:23,500 system , we're very confident in its 255 00:10:23,500 --> 00:10:25,620 capabilities and its range , its 256 00:10:25,620 --> 00:10:27,820 effectiveness , its precision more 257 00:10:27,820 --> 00:10:31,160 critically . The early feedback we're 258 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:33,382 getting by the way this died on me . So 259 00:10:33,382 --> 00:10:35,327 if somebody could get that started 260 00:10:35,327 --> 00:10:37,382 again . Um , uh , the early feedback 261 00:10:37,382 --> 00:10:39,493 we're getting from the Ukrainians who 262 00:10:39,493 --> 00:10:41,604 are undergoing training on the Triple 263 00:10:41,604 --> 00:10:44,740 sevens , uh , is that that they're very 264 00:10:44,750 --> 00:10:46,639 happy with the performance of the 265 00:10:46,639 --> 00:10:50,080 system . And uh um and uh and they're 266 00:10:50,090 --> 00:10:52,201 learning it quickly . The training is 267 00:10:52,201 --> 00:10:54,470 going very well . Um and they're 268 00:10:54,470 --> 00:10:56,526 excited about being able to use that 269 00:10:56,526 --> 00:10:58,526 system in in the field . Okay . And 270 00:10:58,526 --> 00:11:00,526 then you had , oh , the President's 271 00:11:00,526 --> 00:11:02,581 comments , Look , I think we've been 272 00:11:02,581 --> 00:11:04,914 nothing but consistent here . Uh Sophie , 273 00:11:04,914 --> 00:11:07,040 I've said it before , we said we want 274 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,096 Ukraine to win this , which means we 275 00:11:09,096 --> 00:11:11,262 want Ukraine whole again and sovereign 276 00:11:11,262 --> 00:11:13,429 again and we don't want Russian forces 277 00:11:13,429 --> 00:11:16,160 in Ukraine , any part of Ukraine . Um , 278 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,390 and how that gets solved at the at the 279 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,567 at the table or on the field is really 280 00:11:21,567 --> 00:11:24,030 up to the Ukrainians to determine , not 281 00:11:24,030 --> 00:11:26,141 the United States , but the president 282 00:11:26,141 --> 00:11:29,110 is right in terms of Mr Putin's 283 00:11:29,740 --> 00:11:33,040 initial um strategic objectives , which 284 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,860 was clearly to erase Iran Ukrainian 285 00:11:35,870 --> 00:11:38,290 sovereignty and to capture keith . He's 286 00:11:38,290 --> 00:11:40,420 failed , he has failed to achieve any 287 00:11:40,420 --> 00:11:43,210 of those objectives to date . Now , the 288 00:11:43,210 --> 00:11:45,266 Russians are saying , well , they're 289 00:11:45,266 --> 00:11:47,377 they're going to focus our efforts on 290 00:11:47,377 --> 00:11:49,377 the Don bosco and in the south . Um 291 00:11:49,377 --> 00:11:51,377 they've been vague about exactly to 292 00:11:51,377 --> 00:11:51,060 what end , but that's where they're 293 00:11:51,060 --> 00:11:53,227 focusing their efforts and we're gonna 294 00:11:53,227 --> 00:11:55,110 do everything we can to help the 295 00:11:55,110 --> 00:11:57,388 Ukrainians prevent that from happening . 296 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:02,430 Zero . Thank you , john our country's 297 00:12:02,430 --> 00:12:05,080 situation is still critical . So many 298 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,302 shared people as other people as it has 299 00:12:07,302 --> 00:12:10,020 been killing these weeks . The 300 00:12:10,020 --> 00:12:12,940 situation get worse Afghan people think 301 00:12:12,940 --> 00:12:15,620 that United States forget them very bad 302 00:12:15,620 --> 00:12:18,130 situation . And also they want me to 303 00:12:18,130 --> 00:12:20,241 pass their message . That's still the 304 00:12:20,241 --> 00:12:22,750 United States States remember them or 305 00:12:22,750 --> 00:12:26,240 totally forgotten how much 306 00:12:26,250 --> 00:12:29,560 Ukraine situation impact Afghanistan 307 00:12:29,570 --> 00:12:33,520 people . And it's at the time that the 308 00:12:33,530 --> 00:12:35,950 United States recognized Taliban 309 00:12:37,910 --> 00:12:40,021 so many things . Yeah , there's a lot 310 00:12:40,021 --> 00:12:42,132 there . It's not up to the Department 311 00:12:42,132 --> 00:12:44,188 of Defense to talk about recognizing 312 00:12:44,188 --> 00:12:46,077 the Taliban government . That's a 313 00:12:46,077 --> 00:12:48,077 that's a decision made outside this 314 00:12:48,077 --> 00:12:50,299 building . I'm not gonna I have nothing 315 00:12:50,299 --> 00:12:52,410 to say on that . Look , we absolutely 316 00:12:52,410 --> 00:12:54,243 have not forgotten the people of 317 00:12:54,243 --> 00:12:57,360 Afghanistan and uh and uh the State 318 00:12:57,360 --> 00:12:59,582 Department particularly is working very 319 00:12:59,582 --> 00:13:02,420 hard to continue to work with 320 00:13:02,430 --> 00:13:06,210 uh non government agencies as well as 321 00:13:06,220 --> 00:13:09,660 uh the taliban to to continue to 322 00:13:10,340 --> 00:13:11,951 be able to get people out of 323 00:13:11,951 --> 00:13:14,000 Afghanistan ? Uh and then that that 324 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,222 effort continues . There's it's there's 325 00:13:16,222 --> 00:13:18,444 not a Defense Department role in that , 326 00:13:18,540 --> 00:13:20,820 but but clearly we are supportive of 327 00:13:20,820 --> 00:13:22,764 that . Yeah . In the back cousin . 328 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,950 Thank you . Can you just clarify 329 00:13:26,350 --> 00:13:28,520 something about this drone to us ? You 330 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,090 said it was developed for the specific 331 00:13:31,090 --> 00:13:33,201 needs of Ukraine and it was developed 332 00:13:33,201 --> 00:13:35,312 before the invasion . So it was still 333 00:13:35,312 --> 00:13:37,368 when when it was in developing phase 334 00:13:37,368 --> 00:13:41,290 before . Okay . And also will 335 00:13:41,290 --> 00:13:43,512 the U . S . Air force also use this for 336 00:13:43,512 --> 00:13:45,401 us military needs ? Or is it just 337 00:13:45,401 --> 00:13:48,200 something for the that was the whole 338 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:50,390 idea of this was for us to use it . So 339 00:13:50,390 --> 00:13:52,446 I would expect that we still have an 340 00:13:52,446 --> 00:13:54,779 interest in in in using this capability . 341 00:13:54,779 --> 00:13:56,668 But we're also now if you see the 342 00:13:56,668 --> 00:13:59,510 benefit right now in the moment for 343 00:13:59,510 --> 00:14:01,677 Ukraine to use it . And so we're going 344 00:14:01,677 --> 00:14:03,621 to provide some of them . And also 345 00:14:03,621 --> 00:14:05,788 about this meeting in Ramstein and you 346 00:14:05,788 --> 00:14:08,340 said it's one of the goals is ensuring 347 00:14:08,350 --> 00:14:10,560 the Ukraine's and during security and 348 00:14:10,570 --> 00:14:12,890 sovereignty over the long term is 349 00:14:12,890 --> 00:14:14,940 respected and developed . Are we 350 00:14:14,940 --> 00:14:17,760 talking about the post Russian war or 351 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:19,820 Russian invasion conditions and then 352 00:14:19,820 --> 00:14:23,650 you are talking about the post war um 353 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:27,620 type of security for Ukraine . What do 354 00:14:27,620 --> 00:14:29,860 you mean ? Can you just elaborate on 355 00:14:29,860 --> 00:14:32,860 this post war long term ? Absolutely , 356 00:14:33,340 --> 00:14:35,618 yeah . Gordon ? Do you have a question ? 357 00:14:36,010 --> 00:14:38,380 I just wonder if you could speak to uh 358 00:14:38,390 --> 00:14:41,090 the capacity issues on the Ukrainian 359 00:14:41,090 --> 00:14:43,880 side for getting all this stuff flowing , 360 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,360 all this stuff in . Do you guys see on 361 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:48,527 this side of the border ? Any capacity 362 00:14:48,527 --> 00:14:51,700 concerns ? And secondly , are there any 363 00:14:51,700 --> 00:14:53,867 issues that I know you guys are moving 364 00:14:53,867 --> 00:14:55,978 stuff in as fast as you can , but are 365 00:14:55,978 --> 00:14:58,370 there any issues that governing or 366 00:14:58,370 --> 00:15:01,960 slowing down Any of the three so far ? 367 00:15:02,540 --> 00:15:04,762 No issues in terms of slowing it down . 368 00:15:04,762 --> 00:15:06,873 8-10 flights a day are going into the 369 00:15:06,873 --> 00:15:09,390 theater and not all of those flights 370 00:15:09,390 --> 00:15:11,612 are American flights , but most of them 371 00:15:11,612 --> 00:15:14,880 are uh and every single day including 372 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,102 this day there has been ground movement 373 00:15:17,102 --> 00:15:20,420 inside Ukraine . Um so we have seen no 374 00:15:20,420 --> 00:15:24,330 slowing down um as 375 00:15:24,330 --> 00:15:27,380 for absorption on inside Ukraine , I 376 00:15:27,380 --> 00:15:30,060 mean that is that has not um 377 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:33,150 it has not proven to be a problem 378 00:15:33,150 --> 00:15:35,150 because it's it's factored into the 379 00:15:35,150 --> 00:15:38,100 discussions and the scheduling in an 380 00:15:38,110 --> 00:15:41,280 iterative way . Gordon ? So clearly 381 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,880 absorption rate is an issue . I mean uh 382 00:15:44,890 --> 00:15:48,250 they have to be able to receive 383 00:15:48,740 --> 00:15:52,230 transport to store temporarily if if 384 00:15:52,230 --> 00:15:55,640 need be um and then to deliver to two 385 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,220 units , that's a Ukrainian 386 00:15:57,220 --> 00:15:59,820 responsibility so far , that's that 387 00:15:59,830 --> 00:16:01,774 from our perspective and from what 388 00:16:01,774 --> 00:16:03,608 we're hearing from our Ukrainian 389 00:16:03,608 --> 00:16:05,719 counterparts that are able to do that 390 00:16:05,719 --> 00:16:08,052 and do it quite effectively . But it is , 391 00:16:08,052 --> 00:16:10,219 that's always a factor in discussing , 392 00:16:10,219 --> 00:16:12,620 um , what , what gets sent in and , and , 393 00:16:12,620 --> 00:16:14,676 and how it's , and how it's packaged 394 00:16:14,676 --> 00:16:18,470 for them . Um , so , uh , we're 395 00:16:18,470 --> 00:16:20,414 doing this in tranches , we talked 396 00:16:20,414 --> 00:16:22,637 about this the other day . Part of that 397 00:16:22,637 --> 00:16:24,970 is because the war is changing and we 398 00:16:24,970 --> 00:16:27,248 want to keep apace with that and , and , 399 00:16:27,248 --> 00:16:29,910 and alter what's in the packages based 400 00:16:29,910 --> 00:16:31,966 on what's going on on the ground and 401 00:16:31,966 --> 00:16:34,243 what the Ukrainians say they need also , 402 00:16:34,243 --> 00:16:36,188 what's factoring into that is , is 403 00:16:36,188 --> 00:16:38,410 their ability to receive and to use and 404 00:16:38,410 --> 00:16:40,632 to temporarily store appropriately . So 405 00:16:40,632 --> 00:16:42,799 there's a , that all that's baked into 406 00:16:42,799 --> 00:16:44,966 the process , there hasn't been like a 407 00:16:44,966 --> 00:16:47,077 stumbling block or a pothole that's , 408 00:16:47,077 --> 00:16:49,410 that's stopping something from going in , 409 00:16:49,410 --> 00:16:51,521 because we're factoring that all into 410 00:16:51,521 --> 00:16:53,743 the decision making . And to clarify on 411 00:16:53,743 --> 00:16:55,910 the training , we understand that some 412 00:16:55,910 --> 00:16:55,130 of the training of the Howard service 413 00:16:55,130 --> 00:16:57,241 has begun , I think this past week or 414 00:16:57,241 --> 00:16:59,408 whenever correct , started yesterday . 415 00:16:59,408 --> 00:17:01,186 Also true for some of the other 416 00:17:01,186 --> 00:17:03,408 platforms that also need training . And 417 00:17:03,408 --> 00:17:05,630 to clarify , the phoenix Ghost need the 418 00:17:05,630 --> 00:17:08,850 same kind of training as the , we 419 00:17:08,850 --> 00:17:10,850 believe that the phoenix ghost will 420 00:17:10,850 --> 00:17:13,017 require a little bit of training , the 421 00:17:13,017 --> 00:17:15,072 way the switchblades kind of akin to 422 00:17:15,072 --> 00:17:16,906 what the switch blades require , 423 00:17:16,906 --> 00:17:16,780 because it's , it's not all that 424 00:17:16,780 --> 00:17:19,450 different system , it's different , but , 425 00:17:19,940 --> 00:17:22,840 but the same basic tactical purpose . 426 00:17:22,840 --> 00:17:24,673 So we do , we do believe it will 427 00:17:24,673 --> 00:17:26,860 require some , some training and we're 428 00:17:26,860 --> 00:17:29,610 working that out right now , that 429 00:17:29,620 --> 00:17:31,620 training , the only training that , 430 00:17:31,620 --> 00:17:33,620 that is going on right now , that , 431 00:17:33,620 --> 00:17:35,620 that I can speak to is the training 432 00:17:35,620 --> 00:17:37,676 that's being done outside Ukraine on 433 00:17:37,676 --> 00:17:39,898 the howitzers . Um , but , but we fully 434 00:17:39,898 --> 00:17:42,450 expect that there'll be some additional 435 00:17:42,460 --> 00:17:44,516 training and Familiarization done on 436 00:17:44,516 --> 00:17:46,627 some of these things like the counter 437 00:17:46,627 --> 00:17:49,390 artillery radar , the phoenix ghost . 438 00:17:49,740 --> 00:17:53,070 Um , even the M113 439 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,040 armoured vehicles were required a 440 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:57,262 little bit of notarization . So we were 441 00:17:57,262 --> 00:17:59,429 baking that into the process as well . 442 00:17:59,429 --> 00:18:01,790 Megan on the howitzer training . Is 443 00:18:01,790 --> 00:18:03,957 this first cohort going to be the only 444 00:18:03,957 --> 00:18:05,901 cohort ? Or do you need to do ? We 445 00:18:05,901 --> 00:18:07,901 anticipate that there will probably 446 00:18:07,901 --> 00:18:10,123 need to be more . And also where is the 447 00:18:10,123 --> 00:18:12,234 training happening ? And who is doing 448 00:18:12,234 --> 00:18:14,401 it ? It's outside of Ukraine . And I'm 449 00:18:14,401 --> 00:18:16,457 not at liberty to talk about exactly 450 00:18:16,457 --> 00:18:18,568 who's doing it . Us troops during the 451 00:18:18,568 --> 00:18:20,679 training . I'm not at liberty to talk 452 00:18:20,679 --> 00:18:22,957 about who's doing it . Travis . Thanks . 453 00:18:22,957 --> 00:18:22,900 I wasn't sure if you'd see me back here 454 00:18:22,900 --> 00:18:25,590 in this dark corner . Um , there's been 455 00:18:25,590 --> 00:18:29,040 a cluster of suicides on the George 456 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,450 Washington carrier . Um , and I know 457 00:18:31,450 --> 00:18:33,980 the secretary has an ongoing effort to 458 00:18:33,990 --> 00:18:37,100 try to understand suicides and he's 459 00:18:37,100 --> 00:18:39,156 looking at , I think eight different 460 00:18:39,156 --> 00:18:41,378 facilities and you had said before that 461 00:18:41,378 --> 00:18:43,433 that list could grow . Are there any 462 00:18:43,433 --> 00:18:47,420 plans to look at ships ? Um , and do 463 00:18:47,420 --> 00:18:50,400 you think that ships providing unique 464 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,067 circumstances that need to be 465 00:18:52,067 --> 00:18:54,460 understood when it comes to suicide . 466 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,790 Well , um , well , the navy is still 467 00:18:59,790 --> 00:19:01,940 investigating these deaths . And so I 468 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:04,107 don't want to get ahead of that as you 469 00:19:04,107 --> 00:19:06,162 might understand . Uh , so let's put 470 00:19:06,162 --> 00:19:08,218 that aside for just a second . But , 471 00:19:08,218 --> 00:19:10,410 but each death is tragic in its own 472 00:19:10,410 --> 00:19:14,200 right , regardless of how , um , and , 473 00:19:14,210 --> 00:19:16,740 um , we , our thoughts and prayers 474 00:19:16,740 --> 00:19:18,962 continue to go out to the , to the , to 475 00:19:18,962 --> 00:19:20,907 the families and , and frankly the 476 00:19:20,907 --> 00:19:23,184 shipmates because they're affected too . 477 00:19:23,184 --> 00:19:25,240 They're , they're part of a sailor's 478 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,018 family . I know that for , from 479 00:19:27,018 --> 00:19:29,230 experience , the Secretary's 480 00:19:29,230 --> 00:19:32,290 expectation for the IRC on suicide is 481 00:19:32,290 --> 00:19:34,346 that we look across the force . So , 482 00:19:34,346 --> 00:19:36,346 absolutely , he wants it to look at 483 00:19:36,346 --> 00:19:38,570 shipboard life , shipboard duty , just 484 00:19:38,570 --> 00:19:41,270 as well as , uh , duty and remote 485 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,360 locations . Alaska has had this issue . 486 00:19:44,370 --> 00:19:47,530 Um , he wants , he wants a broad scope 487 00:19:47,530 --> 00:19:50,030 and view of suicides across the force . 488 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:52,207 So not , not just that installations , 489 00:19:52,207 --> 00:19:54,262 if you will , and certainly he would 490 00:19:54,262 --> 00:19:56,484 like that to include conditions of , of 491 00:19:56,484 --> 00:19:59,870 shipboard life . And I think , um , I 492 00:19:59,870 --> 00:20:01,880 mean , I , I've served it at sea on 493 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,770 ships . I've , I've served , uh , on 494 00:20:04,770 --> 00:20:08,680 ships that were in shipyards , um , in 495 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:10,720 each of those environments is 496 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,240 challenging . I think , um , we , we 497 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,351 have to be a little humble when we're 498 00:20:16,351 --> 00:20:19,280 talking about suicide and uh , it's 499 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:21,391 just human nature to want to point to 500 00:20:21,391 --> 00:20:23,502 something and say , well , that's the 501 00:20:23,502 --> 00:20:26,850 reason . Uh , it's , it's this problem 502 00:20:26,850 --> 00:20:30,050 or , or , or this culture or it's 503 00:20:30,050 --> 00:20:32,230 because the ship is , is doing this 504 00:20:32,230 --> 00:20:34,560 instead of that . And I think we have 505 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,730 to be really careful jump into those 506 00:20:36,730 --> 00:20:40,320 conclusions because what what compels 507 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:44,260 an individual to take their own life is , 508 00:20:44,270 --> 00:20:47,810 it's it's individual and it's it's 509 00:20:47,810 --> 00:20:51,060 complex . And I think as the secretary 510 00:20:51,060 --> 00:20:52,950 has said many times , a sense of 511 00:20:52,950 --> 00:20:55,070 humility going into this is really , 512 00:20:55,070 --> 00:20:58,660 really important . So obviously , as we 513 00:20:58,660 --> 00:21:01,220 look across the force , we certainly 514 00:21:01,220 --> 00:21:03,740 want to look at things like the command 515 00:21:03,740 --> 00:21:07,680 climate and culture and mission . Um , 516 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,380 and optempo the temple , which were 517 00:21:11,380 --> 00:21:14,020 pushing people , all those things are 518 00:21:14,030 --> 00:21:16,270 are stressors in life . 519 00:21:17,550 --> 00:21:20,920 Some of them could could contribute to 520 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,253 the problem of suicides . And but again , 521 00:21:23,253 --> 00:21:25,260 it's a very individual thing . The 522 00:21:25,260 --> 00:21:28,010 other thing we wanna do , Travis is is 523 00:21:28,010 --> 00:21:31,850 again , with humility , be willing to 524 00:21:32,540 --> 00:21:34,762 consider what we don't know and to talk 525 00:21:34,762 --> 00:21:36,873 to experts who are smarter about this 526 00:21:36,873 --> 00:21:38,984 than we are . We have terrific mental 527 00:21:38,984 --> 00:21:41,040 health professionals in the , in the 528 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:43,151 military . But there's there's people 529 00:21:43,151 --> 00:21:44,984 outside the ranks that uh in the 530 00:21:44,984 --> 00:21:47,151 private sector that really do focus in 531 00:21:47,151 --> 00:21:49,350 on this particular issue . And we want 532 00:21:49,350 --> 00:21:51,461 to avail ourselves of their knowledge 533 00:21:51,461 --> 00:21:53,517 and wisdom and and and be willing to 534 00:21:53,517 --> 00:21:55,628 again , be humble about what we don't 535 00:21:55,628 --> 00:21:57,683 know and ask and ask tough questions 536 00:21:57,683 --> 00:21:59,850 when the secretary was in Alaska , you 537 00:21:59,850 --> 00:22:01,850 know , several months ago , he took 538 00:22:01,850 --> 00:22:03,572 time to sit with mental health 539 00:22:03,572 --> 00:22:05,794 professionals from the local university 540 00:22:05,794 --> 00:22:07,980 who specialized in issues surrounding 541 00:22:07,980 --> 00:22:09,702 suicide . And he found it very 542 00:22:09,702 --> 00:22:13,560 illuminating also , um very 543 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,000 daunting because they conveyed very 544 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,120 clear to him how tough this is an issue 545 00:22:19,120 --> 00:22:21,231 to wrap your arms around . You know , 546 00:22:21,231 --> 00:22:23,453 the situation with the G . W . Is going 547 00:22:23,453 --> 00:22:25,676 to be folded into this larger effort on 548 00:22:25,676 --> 00:22:28,040 suicide . And it's something that we're 549 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:30,262 still waiting to see how it turns out . 550 00:22:30,262 --> 00:22:32,318 I mean , again , I don't want to get 551 00:22:32,318 --> 00:22:32,140 ahead of the Navy's investigation here . 552 00:22:32,150 --> 00:22:35,860 The , the IRC isn't really designed to 553 00:22:35,860 --> 00:22:39,620 look at a specific issue or a 554 00:22:39,620 --> 00:22:42,660 specific individual act of suicide . 555 00:22:42,660 --> 00:22:44,882 It's really designed to look across the 556 00:22:44,882 --> 00:22:47,700 force that the factors that compel an 557 00:22:47,700 --> 00:22:50,620 individual to take their own life and 558 00:22:50,630 --> 00:22:53,020 and what those factors are and how we 559 00:22:53,020 --> 00:22:55,242 can as an institution . How can we help 560 00:22:55,242 --> 00:22:57,076 mitigate those ? Yeah , It's not 561 00:22:57,076 --> 00:22:59,076 designed on a particular incident , 562 00:22:59,076 --> 00:23:02,290 john thanks . Are these phoenix ghost 563 00:23:02,290 --> 00:23:04,800 drones also like already in the air 564 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:07,100 force arsenal ? Or did you , are you 565 00:23:07,100 --> 00:23:09,440 sending all of them to their already in ? 566 00:23:09,530 --> 00:23:12,460 I mean , uh , when you draw down 567 00:23:12,460 --> 00:23:14,516 authority , you're drawing down from 568 00:23:14,516 --> 00:23:16,293 your inventory . So it's in our 569 00:23:16,293 --> 00:23:18,349 inventory . Yeah , he's more capable 570 00:23:18,349 --> 00:23:20,571 than the switchblade . Is that why they 571 00:23:20,571 --> 00:23:20,320 have different capabilities than the 572 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:23,130 switchblade able to say ? Well , that's 573 00:23:23,130 --> 00:23:25,352 about as far as I'm going to go on it . 574 00:23:25,352 --> 00:23:27,574 And speaking of unmanned systems , have 575 00:23:27,574 --> 00:23:29,741 those unmanned coastal defense vessels 576 00:23:29,741 --> 00:23:29,230 arrived in Ukraine yet . And can you 577 00:23:29,230 --> 00:23:31,341 shed any more light on what those are 578 00:23:31,341 --> 00:23:33,397 beyond like , I don't have an update 579 00:23:33,397 --> 00:23:36,680 for them . Yeah . Thank you sir . Today , 580 00:23:36,690 --> 00:23:38,912 Russia announced that they are sexually 581 00:23:38,912 --> 00:23:42,390 dozens of US officials and I believe 582 00:23:42,390 --> 00:23:45,620 that your name is one of them . So , um , 583 00:23:45,630 --> 00:23:47,960 do you have any response about that ? 584 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:50,182 This is the first question . The second 585 00:23:50,182 --> 00:23:52,404 question . How much these sections make 586 00:23:52,404 --> 00:23:54,238 your communications with Russian 587 00:23:54,540 --> 00:23:56,570 counterparts more difficult , 588 00:23:56,570 --> 00:23:58,570 especially in military issues . I'm 589 00:23:58,570 --> 00:24:00,626 sorry , say the last one again . How 590 00:24:00,626 --> 00:24:02,237 much these sections make the 591 00:24:02,237 --> 00:24:04,770 communications between officials and 592 00:24:04,780 --> 00:24:08,430 the Russian side , sanctions are having 593 00:24:08,430 --> 00:24:10,880 an effect on communications that we've 594 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,950 been trying to have 595 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:16,440 communications at the higher levels 596 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:18,662 with the Russians now for several weeks 597 00:24:18,662 --> 00:24:20,773 and they clearly aren't interested in 598 00:24:20,773 --> 00:24:22,718 that . And the fact that there are 599 00:24:22,718 --> 00:24:24,884 sanctions levied against either side , 600 00:24:24,884 --> 00:24:26,940 I don't think I don't think that's a 601 00:24:26,940 --> 00:24:29,051 factor in the lack of communication . 602 00:24:29,051 --> 00:24:32,890 And right now we believe is , um , we 603 00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:35,640 we have believed , but certainly today 604 00:24:35,650 --> 00:24:38,610 as offensive operations begin a new in 605 00:24:38,610 --> 00:24:40,499 the Donbass , that , that this is 606 00:24:40,499 --> 00:24:42,820 exactly the kind of time that we need 607 00:24:42,830 --> 00:24:45,330 to be talking to Russian leaders at 608 00:24:45,330 --> 00:24:47,497 senior levels . But but so far they've 609 00:24:47,497 --> 00:24:49,663 been unwilling to engage in that . And 610 00:24:49,663 --> 00:24:53,490 as for me , I mean , I I am I looked 611 00:24:53,490 --> 00:24:55,910 at , I looked at everybody else on the 612 00:24:55,910 --> 00:24:57,966 list . That's a that's a pretty fine 613 00:24:57,966 --> 00:25:00,077 group to belong to . So I'm okay with 614 00:25:00,077 --> 00:25:03,080 that . Yeah , tom for those of us of 615 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,470 the Vietnam generation who were draft 616 00:25:05,470 --> 00:25:08,040 eligible the battle of Jason . I just 617 00:25:08,040 --> 00:25:10,490 want to make clear tom that I was not 618 00:25:10,490 --> 00:25:14,490 in that grouping . You said we I don't 619 00:25:14,490 --> 00:25:16,601 want you putting me in that group pal 620 00:25:18,070 --> 00:25:20,292 but I didn't I just wanted to state for 621 00:25:20,292 --> 00:25:24,130 the record that I'm not those of us in 622 00:25:24,130 --> 00:25:26,550 was a big battle in Vietnam where the 623 00:25:26,550 --> 00:25:28,560 US was able to supply a surrounded 624 00:25:28,940 --> 00:25:31,800 marines until they were able to succeed 625 00:25:31,810 --> 00:25:34,980 in liberating them . Then fast forward 626 00:25:34,980 --> 00:25:37,091 to the Bosnian war . When we fly into 627 00:25:37,091 --> 00:25:38,980 Sarajevo on the planes would do a 628 00:25:38,980 --> 00:25:40,980 maneuver called a case awning where 629 00:25:40,980 --> 00:25:42,980 they would come in and jump down to 630 00:25:42,980 --> 00:25:45,147 avoid ground fire . I referenced these 631 00:25:45,147 --> 00:25:47,313 points thinking of what's happening in 632 00:25:47,313 --> 00:25:49,480 marry paul where it's surrounded , how 633 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:51,480 has the U . S . Military progressed 634 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,480 since the days of cason and through 635 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:55,647 Bosnia to be able to supply . Should a 636 00:25:55,647 --> 00:25:57,869 case come up where the U . S . Military 637 00:25:57,869 --> 00:25:59,924 is in a more hopeful situation , Are 638 00:25:59,924 --> 00:26:01,924 they able to supply them to relieve 639 00:26:01,924 --> 00:26:04,740 them to provide ammunition ? Are you 640 00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:06,573 referring to like air dropping ? 641 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:08,936 Whatever possibilities there are air 642 00:26:08,936 --> 00:26:11,420 dropping is one of them ? Yeah . Um 643 00:26:11,430 --> 00:26:15,210 Well look , the president has been 644 00:26:15,210 --> 00:26:17,321 very clear , we are not going to have 645 00:26:17,321 --> 00:26:19,488 US forces fighting in Ukraine and that 646 00:26:19,488 --> 00:26:21,710 includes in the skies over Ukraine . Um 647 00:26:21,710 --> 00:26:24,400 uh , and that that policy has has not 648 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:26,620 changed because of the potential that 649 00:26:26,620 --> 00:26:29,770 it could lead to direct armed conflict 650 00:26:29,780 --> 00:26:32,700 with Russia . The US and marrapodi was 651 00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:35,000 citing Mirapaul as a reference point if 652 00:26:35,010 --> 00:26:37,343 that happened in the future . The U . S . 653 00:26:37,343 --> 00:26:39,510 Changed its way of delivering supplies 654 00:26:39,510 --> 00:26:41,677 as it did in case on and so forth . In 655 00:26:41,677 --> 00:26:43,788 other words , we're talking about the 656 00:26:43,788 --> 00:26:46,010 US military capabilities in a situation 657 00:26:46,010 --> 00:26:48,066 like I'm afraid I am not only not an 658 00:26:48,066 --> 00:26:50,288 expert on artillery , I'm not an expert 659 00:26:50,288 --> 00:26:53,660 on airdrop supplies and logistics . We 660 00:26:53,660 --> 00:26:55,882 can get you in touch with somebody here 661 00:26:55,882 --> 00:26:58,104 at the pentagon who can give you a much 662 00:26:58,104 --> 00:27:00,160 deeper dive on on how we do resupply 663 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,271 from the air . Obviously we have that 664 00:27:02,271 --> 00:27:04,850 capability but I'm afraid I'm I'm not 665 00:27:04,850 --> 00:27:06,830 qualified to offer much on that . 666 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:08,910 Anybody who looks at you realizes 667 00:27:08,910 --> 00:27:10,632 you're not part of the Vietnam 668 00:27:10,632 --> 00:27:12,688 generation . I hope so . I hope so . 669 00:27:12,688 --> 00:27:14,660 Thank you . I want to tap your 670 00:27:14,660 --> 00:27:16,604 expertise on defense contracting . 671 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:20,610 Can we just go to another question now ? 672 00:27:20,690 --> 00:27:22,912 That's because this is gonna be a short 673 00:27:22,912 --> 00:27:25,079 exchange Tony first you guys announced 674 00:27:25,079 --> 00:27:27,680 $300 million for the Ukraine security 675 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:29,624 assistance initiative . That's not 676 00:27:29,624 --> 00:27:31,847 drawing on authority that's contracting 677 00:27:31,847 --> 00:27:33,847 so far you've done one contract for 678 00:27:33,847 --> 00:27:36,260 pumas but not for the breath of the 679 00:27:36,260 --> 00:27:38,460 other list including switchblades and 680 00:27:38,460 --> 00:27:40,627 laser guided rockets . Where are those 681 00:27:40,627 --> 00:27:42,890 where all those contracts were working 682 00:27:42,890 --> 00:27:46,300 hard on that ? I mean uh I can tell you 683 00:27:46,310 --> 00:27:48,910 uh mr LaPlante are our new 684 00:27:48,910 --> 00:27:51,410 undersecretary for acquisition and 685 00:27:51,410 --> 00:27:53,960 sustainment um is personally leading 686 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:56,071 this effort . You're right . The puMA 687 00:27:56,071 --> 00:27:58,293 Contract is the 1st 1 . Let it won't be 688 00:27:58,293 --> 00:28:00,349 the last . But we're working hard on 689 00:28:00,349 --> 00:28:02,571 that right now . Energizing the defense 690 00:28:02,571 --> 00:28:04,682 industrial base you guys keep talking 691 00:28:04,682 --> 00:28:06,793 about that has the pentagon Secretary 692 00:28:06,793 --> 00:28:08,849 Austin or secretary hicks decided to 693 00:28:08,849 --> 00:28:11,260 invoke the so called the D X rule and 694 00:28:11,260 --> 00:28:13,940 execute and programs DX is the highest 695 00:28:13,940 --> 00:28:16,150 rated acquisition program . It's like 696 00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,590 em raps in the gate zero . Are any 697 00:28:18,590 --> 00:28:20,690 program is being eyed to reconsider 698 00:28:20,690 --> 00:28:24,380 them . D X highest priority . I don't 699 00:28:24,380 --> 00:28:28,060 have any decisions to read out with 700 00:28:28,060 --> 00:28:30,170 respect to the D X rating , Tony . I 701 00:28:30,170 --> 00:28:32,337 mean , this is something that uh , you 702 00:28:32,337 --> 00:28:34,614 know , we we look at periodically what , 703 00:28:34,614 --> 00:28:36,781 what is on , what is and what isn't uh 704 00:28:36,781 --> 00:28:38,726 given the D X rating and what that 705 00:28:38,726 --> 00:28:40,726 rating should be . I don't have any 706 00:28:40,726 --> 00:28:42,837 updates for you on that . And I don't 707 00:28:42,837 --> 00:28:45,059 want to get into internal deliberations 708 00:28:45,059 --> 00:28:47,170 about the contracting process um that 709 00:28:47,170 --> 00:28:51,070 we uh , we've let the one for 710 00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:53,640 the pumas were working at and mr 711 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:55,807 LaPlante and his team are working very 712 00:28:55,807 --> 00:28:57,973 hard on on on the remaining contract . 713 00:28:57,973 --> 00:29:00,307 That will be led under that 300 million . 714 00:29:00,307 --> 00:29:02,307 Got a lot of everybody's asking you 715 00:29:02,307 --> 00:29:04,362 about it . Will you be able to start 716 00:29:04,362 --> 00:29:06,362 talking a little bit more when they 717 00:29:06,362 --> 00:29:08,084 people start putting photos on 718 00:29:08,084 --> 00:29:10,251 instagram and Tiktok and facebook when 719 00:29:10,251 --> 00:29:12,529 it's over there . We'll see you should , 720 00:29:13,140 --> 00:29:15,850 I appreciate , I appreciate the advice 721 00:29:15,850 --> 00:29:19,800 and and we'll look um , I'm 722 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,022 only going to be able to go so far here 723 00:29:22,022 --> 00:29:24,189 and I hope you guys can understand why 724 00:29:24,189 --> 00:29:27,230 we're doing that . Um , there's some 725 00:29:27,230 --> 00:29:29,370 things that , you know , we can talk 726 00:29:29,370 --> 00:29:31,592 about more plainly and openly than than 727 00:29:31,592 --> 00:29:34,910 others . Um We are never 728 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,470 straying from our desire to help 729 00:29:38,470 --> 00:29:41,430 Ukraine defend itself . Um and there's 730 00:29:41,430 --> 00:29:43,710 gonna be things we can talk about 731 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:46,170 clearly regarding our effort to do that 732 00:29:46,170 --> 00:29:48,337 and there's gonna be things that we're 733 00:29:48,337 --> 00:29:50,448 just not gonna want to talk that much 734 00:29:50,448 --> 00:29:52,614 about , despite what's on instagram or 735 00:29:52,614 --> 00:29:54,726 Tiktok or whatever other social media 736 00:29:54,726 --> 00:29:56,910 sites you named . Um just because it's 737 00:29:56,910 --> 00:29:59,440 out there doesn't mean that we're 738 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:01,850 always going to be able to to to be 739 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,330 uh fully candid about every every 740 00:30:05,330 --> 00:30:08,260 single capability . It's not , it means 741 00:30:08,270 --> 00:30:11,730 it's it's of a piece of so many of the 742 00:30:11,730 --> 00:30:13,952 things other nations are doing that the 743 00:30:13,952 --> 00:30:16,430 there's a lot of security assistance 744 00:30:16,430 --> 00:30:19,050 going to Ukraine that doesn't come from 745 00:30:19,050 --> 00:30:21,890 the United States and those countries 746 00:30:21,890 --> 00:30:24,520 don't always talk about it . Some do , 747 00:30:24,580 --> 00:30:27,010 some don't . And we have to respect 748 00:30:27,010 --> 00:30:29,960 that and and we would hope that you 749 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:32,238 would understand that as well . I mean , 750 00:30:32,238 --> 00:30:34,460 the goal here is to help Ukraine defend 751 00:30:34,460 --> 00:30:36,349 itself . The goal here is to help 752 00:30:36,349 --> 00:30:38,238 Ukraine have have its sovereignty 753 00:30:38,238 --> 00:30:40,404 respected , have this war and have the 754 00:30:40,404 --> 00:30:42,710 Russians leave . Um and if that means 755 00:30:42,710 --> 00:30:44,910 in the pursuit of that goal that we're 756 00:30:44,910 --> 00:30:46,854 gonna be a little less transparent 757 00:30:46,854 --> 00:30:48,966 about a capability here or there . We 758 00:30:48,966 --> 00:30:50,910 can live with that . Yeah , yeah . 759 00:30:51,650 --> 00:30:53,706 Either one of you mike , I know what 760 00:30:53,706 --> 00:30:55,928 you're gonna ask about brian understand 761 00:30:55,928 --> 00:30:57,817 aviation week , just hope you can 762 00:30:57,817 --> 00:30:59,817 further clarify the phoenix ghost , 763 00:30:59,817 --> 00:31:01,872 There's 100 and 21 number in the Air 764 00:31:01,872 --> 00:31:04,039 force stocks earlier today that in the 765 00:31:04,039 --> 00:31:06,039 defense official briefing said that 766 00:31:06,039 --> 00:31:08,150 these were developed by the Air force 767 00:31:08,150 --> 00:31:09,817 responds specifically to your 768 00:31:09,817 --> 00:31:12,039 environment . It was developed before . 769 00:31:12,039 --> 00:31:13,761 Obviously this was a system in 770 00:31:13,761 --> 00:31:15,928 development before . I mean you're not 771 00:31:15,928 --> 00:31:18,039 gonna have 100 and 20 on your shelves 772 00:31:18,039 --> 00:31:20,206 if you if you just started buying them 773 00:31:20,206 --> 00:31:22,970 on the 24th of february what ? When I 774 00:31:22,980 --> 00:31:25,210 probably wasn't as well worded as I 775 00:31:25,210 --> 00:31:27,543 should have been or it should have been . 776 00:31:27,543 --> 00:31:30,550 But it that um , it was 777 00:31:31,140 --> 00:31:34,190 developed for a set of requirements 778 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:36,940 that very closely match what the 779 00:31:36,940 --> 00:31:38,996 Ukrainians need right now in Donbass 780 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,687 asked you do you know where this lived 781 00:31:43,687 --> 00:31:45,742 in the air force , was it a research 782 00:31:45,742 --> 00:31:47,631 lab thing ? Was it a capabilities 783 00:31:47,631 --> 00:31:49,860 office ? I know mike , please don't ask 784 00:31:49,860 --> 00:31:53,070 me an artillery question Actually . Uh 785 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:55,191 well thanks for identifying him as as 786 00:31:55,191 --> 00:31:57,302 M777 . That was one of my questions . 787 00:31:57,820 --> 00:32:00,360 That's why we put it up there and I 788 00:32:00,370 --> 00:32:02,537 won't ask you about the disposition of 789 00:32:02,537 --> 00:32:04,648 the fuses that will be going with the 790 00:32:04,648 --> 00:32:08,130 artillery rounds . What ? But I was 791 00:32:08,130 --> 00:32:10,130 asking you didn't talk about that . 792 00:32:10,130 --> 00:32:12,130 They're coming from army and Marine 793 00:32:12,130 --> 00:32:14,241 corps stock . So I think it's in like 794 00:32:14,241 --> 00:32:16,352 stories somewhere . But I mean you're 795 00:32:16,352 --> 00:32:18,241 not stripping them from units and 796 00:32:18,241 --> 00:32:20,463 sending them out there . Right . I mean 797 00:32:20,463 --> 00:32:23,090 We're canvassing the force . Um I 798 00:32:23,090 --> 00:32:25,430 suspect that you know these 72 will 799 00:32:25,430 --> 00:32:27,652 also come from a mix of army and Marine 800 00:32:27,652 --> 00:32:29,652 Corps stocks . But I honestly don't 801 00:32:29,652 --> 00:32:31,980 know where every system is coming from . 802 00:32:31,980 --> 00:32:35,290 Like whether it was a a system in 803 00:32:35,290 --> 00:32:38,400 storage or one that that was being used 804 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:41,250 by a unit . I suspect it will be a 805 00:32:41,250 --> 00:32:44,400 blend of that . But as with every other 806 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:46,690 system we're providing , we are mindful 807 00:32:46,690 --> 00:32:48,746 of our own readiness concerns and we 808 00:32:48,746 --> 00:32:51,910 want to make sure that um that that 809 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,320 that our own combat readiness is not 810 00:32:54,330 --> 00:32:56,700 affected in a negative way by these 811 00:32:56,700 --> 00:32:58,700 provisions . So I couldn't tell you 812 00:32:58,700 --> 00:33:00,922 where each and every howitzer is coming 813 00:33:00,922 --> 00:33:04,340 from , but it will clearly be a blend 814 00:33:04,340 --> 00:33:06,960 of Army and Marine Corps Artillery 815 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,340 follow up . Thank goodness . Times of 816 00:33:09,340 --> 00:33:12,860 London said uh that a navy P eight 817 00:33:12,860 --> 00:33:15,140 Poseidon from Sigonella was tracking 818 00:33:15,140 --> 00:33:18,340 the Moscow before it was attacked by 819 00:33:18,350 --> 00:33:20,490 Ukraine and provided them targeting 820 00:33:20,490 --> 00:33:24,260 information . Can you confirm or 821 00:33:24,940 --> 00:33:26,996 I don't know anything about that one 822 00:33:26,996 --> 00:33:29,218 way or the other ? Uh Yeah I mean I saw 823 00:33:29,218 --> 00:33:31,384 some of that reporting , I'm not going 824 00:33:31,384 --> 00:33:34,150 to get into great operational detail 825 00:33:34,150 --> 00:33:38,080 here but as part of are bolstering 826 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:39,913 NATO's eastern flank and our air 827 00:33:39,913 --> 00:33:43,350 policing efforts . Um P . H . Have been 828 00:33:43,350 --> 00:33:47,280 a part of that . Um uh And and 829 00:33:47,280 --> 00:33:50,670 that includes air policing 830 00:33:50,670 --> 00:33:54,600 missions in the Black Sea region . Um 831 00:33:54,600 --> 00:33:58,360 and uh your P eight is as you know a 832 00:33:58,370 --> 00:34:01,710 very capable uh a S . W . And 833 00:34:01,710 --> 00:34:03,932 reconnaissance platform . It does a lot 834 00:34:03,932 --> 00:34:06,180 of things does a lot of things well um 835 00:34:06,190 --> 00:34:08,480 and it's it's built into our air 836 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,900 policing and uh and NATO eastern flank 837 00:34:10,900 --> 00:34:13,011 efforts . And I'm just gonna leave it 838 00:34:13,011 --> 00:34:14,956 at that . But the issue about them 839 00:34:14,956 --> 00:34:16,733 providing , I mean whether they 840 00:34:16,733 --> 00:34:18,622 provided targeting information to 841 00:34:18,622 --> 00:34:20,400 Ukraine which seemed to they're 842 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,178 apparently close to acting as a 843 00:34:22,178 --> 00:34:24,740 belligerent . There was no provision of 844 00:34:24,740 --> 00:34:27,290 targeting information by the United 845 00:34:27,290 --> 00:34:30,820 States Navy P . Eight that or any 846 00:34:30,820 --> 00:34:32,876 United States Navy P eight flying in 847 00:34:32,876 --> 00:34:35,110 these in these air policing missions . 848 00:34:35,110 --> 00:34:37,750 So I can disabuse you of that real . 849 00:34:39,340 --> 00:34:41,562 I want to ask you about the secretary's 850 00:34:41,562 --> 00:34:43,740 call with the chinese defense Minister 851 00:34:43,750 --> 00:34:46,610 yesterday after the first direct 852 00:34:46,620 --> 00:34:48,910 conversation is a secretary . Let's 853 00:34:48,910 --> 00:34:51,170 confirm that china could provide 854 00:34:51,180 --> 00:34:53,990 military support to Russia again , 855 00:34:53,990 --> 00:34:55,823 without getting into more of the 856 00:34:55,823 --> 00:34:57,990 details of the call Rio . I would just 857 00:34:57,990 --> 00:34:59,823 tell you , we continue to see no 858 00:34:59,823 --> 00:35:01,657 indication that the chinese have 859 00:35:01,657 --> 00:35:03,934 provided military assistance to Russia . 860 00:35:03,934 --> 00:35:05,601 Quick follow up . So you said 861 00:35:05,601 --> 00:35:08,020 previously the proper chinese 862 00:35:08,030 --> 00:35:10,252 counterpart to the U . S . Secretary of 863 00:35:10,252 --> 00:35:12,710 Defense is the Vice Chairman over the 864 00:35:12,720 --> 00:35:15,010 Central Military Commission . Are you 865 00:35:15,020 --> 00:35:17,131 working on another call with the Vice 866 00:35:17,131 --> 00:35:19,550 Chairman in the near term ? I don't 867 00:35:19,550 --> 00:35:22,420 have any future calls to speak to or or 868 00:35:22,430 --> 00:35:24,720 to lay out on the schedule . This was 869 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:28,050 an initial call . We felt it was 870 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:31,800 Productive one . And and our 871 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:33,800 expectation is that it will lead to 872 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:37,460 future conversations appropriate to uh 873 00:35:37,470 --> 00:35:40,060 to uh to whatever the issue is . We 874 00:35:40,060 --> 00:35:42,960 want to talk about that . Okay . Yeah , 875 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:45,273 the back there , Like stone from 876 00:35:45,273 --> 00:35:48,620 Reuters , the 184,000 artillery rounds 877 00:35:48,620 --> 00:35:52,160 that have now gone into this 878 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,280 now is transient and all of them in 879 00:35:54,280 --> 00:35:56,620 total . What's the current estimate , 880 00:35:56,630 --> 00:35:59,230 how long those are gonna last for ? I 881 00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:01,407 think they're , how long they're going 882 00:36:01,407 --> 00:36:03,407 to last for . Mike depends on how , 883 00:36:03,407 --> 00:36:05,629 what the , what the consumption rate is 884 00:36:05,629 --> 00:36:07,851 by the Ukrainians . Once they're in the 885 00:36:07,851 --> 00:36:07,560 field , I couldn't possibly predict 886 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:09,393 that it's going to depend on the 887 00:36:09,393 --> 00:36:11,504 operations on any given day . So this 888 00:36:11,504 --> 00:36:14,650 is the third unmanned system that's 889 00:36:14,660 --> 00:36:16,882 being proliferated into the environment 890 00:36:16,882 --> 00:36:18,827 over there . What's happening with 891 00:36:18,827 --> 00:36:20,771 intelligence and surveillance data 892 00:36:20,771 --> 00:36:22,993 that's coming off of the switchblades , 893 00:36:22,993 --> 00:36:26,440 The phoenix coast tactical US and the 894 00:36:26,450 --> 00:36:28,870 coastal ships . Is the US able to see 895 00:36:28,880 --> 00:36:31,158 simultaneously what's coming off those , 896 00:36:31,390 --> 00:36:33,690 Those are tactical systems for which we 897 00:36:33,690 --> 00:36:35,746 wouldn't have a feed into and what's 898 00:36:35,746 --> 00:36:38,720 happening to whatever information 899 00:36:38,730 --> 00:36:41,110 they're gleaning from these systems . 900 00:36:41,120 --> 00:36:43,560 You'd have to ask them . I would remind 901 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:47,170 that uh , the phoenix ghosts are not in 902 00:36:47,170 --> 00:36:50,320 the country at this point . So Yeah , 903 00:36:50,970 --> 00:36:53,026 British official says that Russia is 904 00:36:53,026 --> 00:36:55,600 using up to 20,000 mercenaries and the 905 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:58,340 war on Ukraine Vladimir Putin said last 906 00:36:58,340 --> 00:37:00,507 month he would recruit people from the 907 00:37:00,507 --> 00:37:02,729 Middle East . What do we know about the 908 00:37:02,729 --> 00:37:04,951 use of foreign fighters today by Russia 909 00:37:04,951 --> 00:37:07,062 where they might be coming from . How 910 00:37:07,062 --> 00:37:09,229 many are there and his Putin trying to 911 00:37:09,229 --> 00:37:11,451 use these foreign fighters . So his own 912 00:37:11,451 --> 00:37:13,562 men don't get killed . I can't verify 913 00:37:13,562 --> 00:37:15,618 the numbers , I just have not seen a 914 00:37:15,618 --> 00:37:17,729 number that that we can independently 915 00:37:17,729 --> 00:37:19,840 verify like that . We do believe that 916 00:37:19,840 --> 00:37:21,840 the Russians have recruited foreign 917 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:23,784 fighters . We believe that uh that 918 00:37:23,784 --> 00:37:26,062 there are , well , you better get that , 919 00:37:26,062 --> 00:37:28,970 that there are foreign fighters , 920 00:37:28,970 --> 00:37:32,580 mercenaries , Wagner group inside uh 921 00:37:32,590 --> 00:37:34,812 Ukraine in particular in the east . But 922 00:37:34,812 --> 00:37:36,868 again , I couldn't quantify that for 923 00:37:36,868 --> 00:37:40,790 you . Um um look , um I would 924 00:37:40,790 --> 00:37:42,846 say a couple of things on the larger 925 00:37:42,846 --> 00:37:44,901 picture . One , it's not unusual for 926 00:37:44,901 --> 00:37:47,980 them to do this . Um It is additional 927 00:37:47,980 --> 00:37:51,460 manpower that they are recruiting 928 00:37:51,830 --> 00:37:55,550 so aggressively , I think does indicate 929 00:37:55,930 --> 00:37:58,140 uh their belief that they need to rely 930 00:37:58,150 --> 00:38:01,030 on additional manpower because they 931 00:38:01,030 --> 00:38:03,030 know they have taken losses because 932 00:38:03,030 --> 00:38:04,919 they have some battalion tactical 933 00:38:04,919 --> 00:38:07,190 groups that have been depleted . Um So 934 00:38:07,190 --> 00:38:09,680 I think it is a statement of of need of 935 00:38:09,690 --> 00:38:12,250 of more manpower because of the losses 936 00:38:12,250 --> 00:38:14,420 that they sustained . But it is a 937 00:38:14,420 --> 00:38:16,531 tactic they've used before . This use 938 00:38:16,531 --> 00:38:19,440 of uh of foreign fighters . Um 939 00:38:20,720 --> 00:38:24,130 you know , it would be 940 00:38:24,360 --> 00:38:28,270 wrong to say that uh that by using 941 00:38:28,270 --> 00:38:30,214 foreign fighters , we have sort of 942 00:38:30,214 --> 00:38:32,770 greater worries about brutality because 943 00:38:32,780 --> 00:38:35,240 the Russian forces themselves have been 944 00:38:35,620 --> 00:38:38,530 brutal in some of the worst ways . But 945 00:38:38,530 --> 00:38:40,870 it is I think a statement of Mr Putin's 946 00:38:40,870 --> 00:38:43,810 desire to bolster his manpower in 947 00:38:43,820 --> 00:38:46,010 response to the depletion of that 948 00:38:46,010 --> 00:38:48,930 manpower over the last six weeks ? Yeah . 949 00:38:50,220 --> 00:38:52,620 Is there any update that you might have 950 00:38:52,620 --> 00:38:55,640 on the blockade of grain shipments out 951 00:38:55,640 --> 00:38:59,580 of the Mario pool area . Um , that had 952 00:38:59,580 --> 00:39:01,691 been something is causing the world a 953 00:39:01,691 --> 00:39:04,220 great deal of stress . I don't have , I 954 00:39:04,220 --> 00:39:06,331 don't have any data on that . We know 955 00:39:06,331 --> 00:39:08,670 that the Russians have continued to uh , 956 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:12,540 to prevent the ports 957 00:39:12,540 --> 00:39:15,770 like Mario Puzo and Odessa from , from 958 00:39:15,780 --> 00:39:18,410 exporting to in an effort to , to 959 00:39:18,410 --> 00:39:20,521 strangle the Ukrainian economy that , 960 00:39:20,521 --> 00:39:22,577 that we believe that effort is still 961 00:39:22,577 --> 00:39:24,743 ongoing . But I couldn't tell you what 962 00:39:24,743 --> 00:39:26,799 the economic impact is . That's just 963 00:39:26,799 --> 00:39:29,021 not something that we're tracking , but 964 00:39:29,021 --> 00:39:30,966 the status of the blockade and any 965 00:39:30,966 --> 00:39:32,910 efforts to stop the blockade or to 966 00:39:32,910 --> 00:39:34,799 break it . Is there any organized 967 00:39:34,799 --> 00:39:36,799 discussion about that ? You know of 968 00:39:36,799 --> 00:39:39,021 that , how to address that blockade and 969 00:39:39,021 --> 00:39:41,243 break it so that the world actually can 970 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:43,424 receive some of these , these food 971 00:39:43,424 --> 00:39:45,313 sources . If you're asking is the 972 00:39:45,313 --> 00:39:47,091 United States Navy going to get 973 00:39:47,091 --> 00:39:49,424 involved in operations in the Black Sea . 974 00:39:49,424 --> 00:39:51,647 The answer is no , in terms of breaking 975 00:39:51,647 --> 00:39:55,440 a blockade . Look , this , this is 976 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,210 just another piece of evidence of the 977 00:39:58,210 --> 00:40:00,321 brutality with which the Russians are 978 00:40:00,321 --> 00:40:02,450 waging this war and we continue to 979 00:40:02,450 --> 00:40:04,617 condemn it , continue to urge Mr Putin 980 00:40:04,617 --> 00:40:06,728 to end the war . Now sit down in good 981 00:40:06,728 --> 00:40:08,783 faith with President Zelensky , move 982 00:40:08,783 --> 00:40:11,800 his forces out , move his ships away um , 983 00:40:11,810 --> 00:40:14,370 and respect Ukrainian sovereignty . I 984 00:40:14,370 --> 00:40:16,426 just have time for a couple more . I 985 00:40:16,426 --> 00:40:19,100 haven't taken any from the phone , but 986 00:40:19,100 --> 00:40:21,830 I do have to get going here . Tara Cup . 987 00:40:23,210 --> 00:40:25,321 Hey john , thanks for taking this . I 988 00:40:25,321 --> 00:40:27,321 wanted to get back to something you 989 00:40:27,321 --> 00:40:29,043 said at the top about the uh , 990 00:40:29,043 --> 00:40:30,821 consultative group next week at 991 00:40:30,821 --> 00:40:32,988 Ramstein , you said it's uh , you feel 992 00:40:32,988 --> 00:40:35,154 it's time to take a longer view . Um , 993 00:40:35,154 --> 00:40:37,266 do you mean to say uh , talking about 994 00:40:37,266 --> 00:40:39,770 the long term footprint in europe or 995 00:40:39,780 --> 00:40:42,200 the longer term view for the battle of 996 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:44,422 Ukraine ? And and what does that mean ? 997 00:40:44,422 --> 00:40:46,367 Really ? What , what , what what I 998 00:40:46,367 --> 00:40:48,311 talked about and if I wasn't clear 999 00:40:48,311 --> 00:40:50,690 enough , I'll try it again that we are 1000 00:40:50,700 --> 00:40:53,250 part of the agenda will be to talk 1001 00:40:53,250 --> 00:40:56,720 about Ukraine's long term defense needs 1002 00:40:56,730 --> 00:40:59,960 in a post war environment . Um , and 1003 00:40:59,970 --> 00:41:02,440 and what that might look like . Um , so 1004 00:41:02,450 --> 00:41:05,390 it's , it's the secretary wants to uh , 1005 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:07,622 he , he believes that it's not too soon 1006 00:41:07,622 --> 00:41:09,344 to begin to have a longer term 1007 00:41:09,344 --> 00:41:11,344 discussion with allies and partners 1008 00:41:11,344 --> 00:41:14,180 about what uh , Ukrainian sovereignty 1009 00:41:14,190 --> 00:41:16,960 needs to look like going forward . So 1010 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:18,404 you're talking about like 1011 00:41:18,404 --> 00:41:20,516 reconstruction funding and stuff like 1012 00:41:20,516 --> 00:41:22,627 that , Not necessarily reconstruction 1013 00:41:22,627 --> 00:41:24,627 funds , but but defense needs their 1014 00:41:24,627 --> 00:41:28,270 security needs longer term Caitlin from 1015 00:41:28,270 --> 00:41:31,030 stars and stripes . Hi john about the 1016 00:41:31,030 --> 00:41:34,090 sanctions that you were issued with , 1017 00:41:34,100 --> 00:41:35,989 You were also listed with several 1018 00:41:35,989 --> 00:41:37,989 journalists as well . I'm wondering 1019 00:41:37,989 --> 00:41:39,933 what you think this says about the 1020 00:41:39,933 --> 00:41:42,100 effects of american media and your own 1021 00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:44,267 public information about those efforts 1022 00:41:44,267 --> 00:41:46,489 and what if they had on this conflict , 1023 00:41:46,489 --> 00:41:48,378 especially internationally and in 1024 00:41:48,378 --> 00:41:50,870 Russia , it's a good group to belong to . 1025 00:41:52,110 --> 00:41:55,620 And I think it does uh it does 1026 00:41:55,630 --> 00:41:58,930 say a bit about the fear 1027 00:41:59,470 --> 00:42:03,120 of fact , the fear of truth 1028 00:42:03,500 --> 00:42:05,990 that Mr Putin continues to demonstrate 1029 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:08,111 every day . Just and you can see that 1030 00:42:08,111 --> 00:42:09,778 by the way , he has shut down 1031 00:42:09,778 --> 00:42:11,833 information inside his own country , 1032 00:42:11,833 --> 00:42:11,600 the only the only way you can , the 1033 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:13,767 only way the Russians can get any kind 1034 00:42:13,767 --> 00:42:15,767 of information is through state run 1035 00:42:15,767 --> 00:42:17,989 propaganda voices and and organs . Um , 1036 00:42:17,989 --> 00:42:21,330 and I think , uh , it demonstrates a 1037 00:42:21,330 --> 00:42:24,420 sense of weakness , not strength that 1038 00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:27,650 that that he so abhors the work of 1039 00:42:27,660 --> 00:42:29,827 independent journalists , uh , and the 1040 00:42:29,827 --> 00:42:31,716 coverage of the brutality and the 1041 00:42:31,716 --> 00:42:34,340 atrocities that his troops are 1042 00:42:34,340 --> 00:42:37,260 conducting inside Ukraine . So , I do , 1043 00:42:37,270 --> 00:42:41,110 I mean , again , I have no nobody 1044 00:42:41,110 --> 00:42:43,332 called me from the Kremlin to advise me 1045 00:42:43,332 --> 00:42:45,610 that I was being sanctioned or or why , 1046 00:42:45,620 --> 00:42:49,430 but but I have to assume that 1047 00:42:49,900 --> 00:42:52,200 that this that this effort , both by 1048 00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:53,922 the United States Government , 1049 00:42:53,922 --> 00:42:56,033 certainly the Department of Defense , 1050 00:42:56,033 --> 00:42:58,144 as well as you and your colleagues in 1051 00:42:58,144 --> 00:43:00,311 covering this war unsettles Mr Putin . 1052 00:43:00,311 --> 00:43:03,030 Um , and uh , frankly , I think that's 1053 00:43:03,030 --> 00:43:05,197 a good thing . Okay , listen , I gotta 1054 00:43:05,197 --> 00:43:07,030 go , I ran a little bit long , I 1055 00:43:07,030 --> 00:43:09,252 apologize , I didn't get to everybody , 1056 00:43:09,252 --> 00:43:12,430 but we'll see you again tomorrow