1 00:00:03,700 --> 00:00:07,320 in one day decided 2 00:00:08,860 --> 00:00:12,620 you're excited . That can we just 3 00:00:12,620 --> 00:00:14,870 decide it's friday then . I mean , why 4 00:00:14,870 --> 00:00:18,150 not Right , 5 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:20,951 all right , a couple of things at the 6 00:00:20,951 --> 00:00:22,896 top and then we'll get right to it 7 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:25,750 right to you . So I just wanted to um 8 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,551 make you wear . The Secretary had two 9 00:00:28,551 --> 00:00:30,496 phone calls with counterparts this 10 00:00:30,496 --> 00:00:32,718 morning . First he spoke with the greek 11 00:00:32,718 --> 00:00:34,884 Minister of National Defense regarding 12 00:00:34,884 --> 00:00:37,051 the situation in Ukraine . Of course . 13 00:00:37,051 --> 00:00:36,630 He thanked Greece for its security 14 00:00:36,630 --> 00:00:38,963 assistance and contributions to Ukraine . 15 00:00:39,340 --> 00:00:41,451 They also discussed the importance of 16 00:00:41,451 --> 00:00:43,673 continued allied and partner assistance 17 00:00:43,673 --> 00:00:45,729 um and agreed to continue to closely 18 00:00:45,729 --> 00:00:47,951 collaborate on these issues , including 19 00:00:47,951 --> 00:00:50,007 finding a time to meet in Washington 20 00:00:50,007 --> 00:00:52,550 later this year . They also reviewed 21 00:00:52,550 --> 00:00:54,439 the deepening defense partnership 22 00:00:54,439 --> 00:00:56,494 between the United States and Greece 23 00:00:56,494 --> 00:00:58,661 resulting from the updated us Greece . 24 00:00:58,661 --> 00:01:00,828 Mutual Defense cooperation agreement . 25 00:01:00,828 --> 00:01:03,090 Secretary also continued his routine 26 00:01:03,090 --> 00:01:05,400 conversations with the Ukrainian 27 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:07,678 Minister of Defense Minister Reznikoff . 28 00:01:08,110 --> 00:01:10,880 Um So they had yet another talk this 29 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,150 morning . Secretary highlighted For 30 00:01:14,150 --> 00:01:16,206 Minister Reznikoff . The president's 31 00:01:16,206 --> 00:01:18,390 announcement last Friday of an 32 00:01:18,390 --> 00:01:20,590 additional $150 million dollars in 33 00:01:20,590 --> 00:01:22,534 presidential drawdown authority to 34 00:01:22,534 --> 00:01:24,534 continue to provide Ukraine's armed 35 00:01:24,534 --> 00:01:26,312 forces with artillery , counter 36 00:01:26,312 --> 00:01:28,534 artillery radars and electronic jamming 37 00:01:28,534 --> 00:01:30,534 equipment . Uh And the Minister was 38 00:01:30,534 --> 00:01:32,590 grateful for this additional support 39 00:01:32,590 --> 00:01:35,850 also helped share his view of what was 40 00:01:35,850 --> 00:01:37,683 going on on the battlefield with 41 00:01:37,683 --> 00:01:40,070 Secretary Austin . Secretary Austin 42 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:42,191 emphasized our enduring commitment to 43 00:01:42,191 --> 00:01:44,302 bolster Ukraine's capacity to counter 44 00:01:44,302 --> 00:01:46,247 Russian aggression and updated the 45 00:01:46,247 --> 00:01:48,302 Minister on our ongoing coordination 46 00:01:48,302 --> 00:01:50,358 with allies and partners on security 47 00:01:50,358 --> 00:01:52,469 assistance efforts . I think you guys 48 00:01:52,469 --> 00:01:54,469 have hardest talked many times that 49 00:01:54,469 --> 00:01:56,691 we're continuing to help coordinate the 50 00:01:56,691 --> 00:01:58,524 provision of security assistance 51 00:01:58,524 --> 00:02:00,636 materials from from many other allies 52 00:02:00,636 --> 00:02:02,802 and partners . And of course as always 53 00:02:02,802 --> 00:02:05,024 they pledged to remain in close contact 54 00:02:05,024 --> 00:02:06,913 and they of course will Um on the 55 00:02:06,913 --> 00:02:08,636 exercise front between May and 56 00:02:08,636 --> 00:02:10,691 September of this year . The US Army 57 00:02:10,691 --> 00:02:13,370 Pacific will participate in over 15 58 00:02:13,370 --> 00:02:16,270 major exercises with multiple multi 59 00:02:16,500 --> 00:02:19,060 try that again . This one's a tough one 60 00:02:19,060 --> 00:02:21,560 with multiple multinational and joint 61 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,504 partners across the Indo Pacific . 62 00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:26,110 During this period of time , Army 63 00:02:26,110 --> 00:02:29,320 pacific will execute operation pathways 64 00:02:29,330 --> 00:02:31,460 across the indo pacific and Asia 65 00:02:31,890 --> 00:02:33,779 deploying thousands of troops and 66 00:02:33,779 --> 00:02:36,110 equipment sets to execute tactical 67 00:02:36,110 --> 00:02:38,054 actions that solve operational and 68 00:02:38,054 --> 00:02:40,277 strategic problems . The first of these 69 00:02:40,277 --> 00:02:42,277 events is an exercise that's called 70 00:02:42,277 --> 00:02:45,060 mara . Um did I say that right Mike 71 00:02:45,070 --> 00:02:48,990 Morar which began Saturday uh in 72 00:02:48,990 --> 00:02:50,990 French Polynesia from now until the 73 00:02:50,990 --> 00:02:54,210 21st . This 13 nation exercise held in 74 00:02:54,210 --> 00:02:57,170 the South Pacific and there it goes and 75 00:02:57,170 --> 00:02:59,250 died on me right in mid sentence , 76 00:02:59,250 --> 00:03:01,083 luckily I've got a backup here . 77 00:03:04,940 --> 00:03:06,940 I think we're just gonna have to go 78 00:03:06,940 --> 00:03:10,760 back to the old notebook . Okay , 79 00:03:10,890 --> 00:03:13,870 now , until the 21st this 13 nation 80 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:15,602 exercise held in South pacific 81 00:03:15,602 --> 00:03:16,991 environment will improve 82 00:03:16,991 --> 00:03:19,158 interoperability , enhance the ability 83 00:03:19,158 --> 00:03:21,324 to conduct humanitarian assistance and 84 00:03:21,324 --> 00:03:23,547 disaster relief and share knowledge and 85 00:03:23,547 --> 00:03:25,658 expertise . Army pacific soldiers and 86 00:03:25,658 --> 00:03:27,602 marines along with the U . S . S . 87 00:03:27,602 --> 00:03:29,824 Pearl Harbor . Approximately 1000 total 88 00:03:29,824 --> 00:03:29,770 will primarily train with the french 89 00:03:29,770 --> 00:03:31,492 military to further strengthen 90 00:03:31,492 --> 00:03:33,548 relationships and help help increase 91 00:03:33,548 --> 00:03:35,640 our presence in the region . So very 92 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,696 exciting exercise . Lots to get done 93 00:03:37,696 --> 00:03:39,918 over the next few months and we'll keep 94 00:03:39,918 --> 00:03:42,084 you guys updated on that . We'll start 95 00:03:42,084 --> 00:03:44,084 with questions and leader , I think 96 00:03:44,084 --> 00:03:46,251 you're up . Mhm . Thanks John . Um two 97 00:03:46,251 --> 00:03:49,560 things with the pace of the 98 00:03:50,140 --> 00:03:52,600 the weapons and other U . S . 99 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,950 Contributions to Ukraine going fairly 100 00:03:55,950 --> 00:03:59,830 quickly , how long before the 101 00:03:59,830 --> 00:04:01,670 pentagon is going to need the 102 00:04:01,670 --> 00:04:04,110 additional drawdown authority in order 103 00:04:04,110 --> 00:04:06,166 to avoid some delays in sending some 104 00:04:06,166 --> 00:04:09,170 material um to Ukraine . And then my 105 00:04:09,170 --> 00:04:11,600 second , the second question is on 106 00:04:11,610 --> 00:04:14,340 training at this point as you look at 107 00:04:14,340 --> 00:04:16,910 the training that's being given to the 108 00:04:16,910 --> 00:04:20,230 Ukrainian troops . Um can you give us a 109 00:04:20,230 --> 00:04:22,230 sense of what the demand is for the 110 00:04:22,230 --> 00:04:24,870 training and whether or not the florida 111 00:04:24,870 --> 00:04:27,920 National Guard is enough or you're 112 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,031 gonna have to bolster that . Where do 113 00:04:30,031 --> 00:04:33,180 you see that going ? Thank you . Um So 114 00:04:33,180 --> 00:04:35,650 on the second question , 115 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,080 we don't right now see a 116 00:04:41,090 --> 00:04:43,910 need to boost the number of trainers . 117 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:46,520 We believe that with the assets we 118 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:48,687 already have and of course the florida 119 00:04:48,687 --> 00:04:50,742 National Guard are participating and 120 00:04:50,742 --> 00:04:52,853 helping in that , but they're not the 121 00:04:52,853 --> 00:04:54,853 only ones you saw the Canadians are 122 00:04:54,853 --> 00:04:54,270 also providing . Somehow it's our 123 00:04:54,270 --> 00:04:56,214 training , we we believe right now 124 00:04:56,214 --> 00:04:58,970 we're we're okay but we obviously want 125 00:04:58,970 --> 00:05:01,370 to be flexible and if we need to change 126 00:05:01,370 --> 00:05:03,460 the numbers or or add people to do 127 00:05:03,460 --> 00:05:06,200 training . Uh We'll certainly be open 128 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,350 to looking at that . Um and I 129 00:05:09,350 --> 00:05:11,183 completely blanked on your first 130 00:05:11,183 --> 00:05:14,690 question they draw down authority 131 00:05:14,700 --> 00:05:17,670 house , how long before that that 132 00:05:17,670 --> 00:05:19,670 starts to run out . You've used all 133 00:05:19,670 --> 00:05:21,781 about I think about 100 million seven 134 00:05:21,781 --> 00:05:24,114 million left in the current authorities . 135 00:05:24,114 --> 00:05:27,580 Um and uh we believe that 136 00:05:27,590 --> 00:05:29,368 between what the president just 137 00:05:29,368 --> 00:05:32,550 announced Friday and the 100 million 138 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,782 that we still have left and we're gonna 139 00:05:34,782 --> 00:05:36,893 be working that in real time with the 140 00:05:36,893 --> 00:05:39,250 Ukrainians that that will get us to 141 00:05:39,250 --> 00:05:41,361 about the third week of this month is 142 00:05:41,361 --> 00:05:43,472 what we're pretty much anticipating . 143 00:05:43,472 --> 00:05:47,140 Which is why we uh we continue to urge 144 00:05:47,140 --> 00:05:49,470 Congress to pass the President's 145 00:05:49,470 --> 00:05:51,248 supplemental request as soon as 146 00:05:51,248 --> 00:05:54,340 possible so that we can continue to 147 00:05:54,340 --> 00:05:57,710 provide aid to Ukraine . Uninterrupted . 148 00:05:57,710 --> 00:06:00,490 So um we think with what we got left 149 00:06:00,490 --> 00:06:02,490 that'll get us through most of this 150 00:06:02,490 --> 00:06:04,268 month and in terms of uh future 151 00:06:04,268 --> 00:06:07,140 packages and future material . But but 152 00:06:07,140 --> 00:06:09,430 that's why we're urging Congress to act 153 00:06:09,430 --> 00:06:12,760 quickly trees over the weekend . Some U . 154 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:14,927 S . Diplomats went back to the embassy 155 00:06:14,927 --> 00:06:17,093 in Kiev . Um Are there any marines yet 156 00:06:17,093 --> 00:06:19,770 at the embassy ? And and if not have 157 00:06:19,780 --> 00:06:21,502 any of them gone to do sort of 158 00:06:21,502 --> 00:06:23,447 assessments in in in the case that 159 00:06:23,447 --> 00:06:25,502 there is a need for them there there 160 00:06:25,502 --> 00:06:27,669 was no marine security attached to the 161 00:06:27,669 --> 00:06:29,891 diplomats . Everything was done through 162 00:06:29,891 --> 00:06:32,002 diplomatic security personnel . There 163 00:06:32,002 --> 00:06:34,224 was no need to have the marines there . 164 00:06:34,224 --> 00:06:33,770 Remember the mission of the marine 165 00:06:33,770 --> 00:06:35,937 security detachment is to protect what 166 00:06:35,937 --> 00:06:37,881 is considered us soil . That's why 167 00:06:37,881 --> 00:06:40,103 they're there And right now the embassy 168 00:06:40,103 --> 00:06:42,450 is not fully occupied . And so uh we're 169 00:06:42,450 --> 00:06:45,630 not , it's not considered it mean it's 170 00:06:45,630 --> 00:06:47,519 obviously still our embassy , but 171 00:06:47,519 --> 00:06:49,408 there's there's no need to have a 172 00:06:49,408 --> 00:06:51,186 permanent Marine Corps security 173 00:06:51,186 --> 00:06:53,408 detachment there . So we're in constant 174 00:06:53,408 --> 00:06:55,519 discussions with the State Department 175 00:06:55,519 --> 00:06:57,590 here and um we'll certainly follow 176 00:06:57,590 --> 00:07:00,160 their lead as they determine what sort 177 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,216 of embassy presence they want and on 178 00:07:02,216 --> 00:07:04,104 what timeline . But there were no 179 00:07:04,104 --> 00:07:06,160 marines , no US military involved in 180 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:08,271 this uh in this visit to to keep into 181 00:07:08,271 --> 00:07:10,382 the embassy . And the second question 182 00:07:10,382 --> 00:07:12,610 reports from Ukraine and the Russian 183 00:07:12,610 --> 00:07:15,120 sort of suggest the territorial gains 184 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:17,176 in the east are very limited on both 185 00:07:17,176 --> 00:07:19,398 sides . Is it too early to say we're at 186 00:07:19,398 --> 00:07:21,509 a stalemate now in the Donbass as far 187 00:07:21,509 --> 00:07:23,731 as the ground offensive . Just Yeah , I 188 00:07:23,731 --> 00:07:23,630 mean look , when you say the word 189 00:07:23,630 --> 00:07:25,852 stalemate , I mean too many people look 190 00:07:25,852 --> 00:07:27,797 at that and they think , well that 191 00:07:27,797 --> 00:07:29,741 means nobody's moving right , that 192 00:07:29,741 --> 00:07:29,540 everything is kind of stuck . You think 193 00:07:29,540 --> 00:07:31,762 of World War One and trench warfare and 194 00:07:31,762 --> 00:07:33,651 everybody's kind of and it's very 195 00:07:33,651 --> 00:07:35,818 dynamic injuries . I would not call it 196 00:07:35,818 --> 00:07:38,520 a stalemate . Um There are literally 197 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,576 towns and villages that are changing 198 00:07:40,576 --> 00:07:42,742 hands sometimes in the course of a day 199 00:07:42,742 --> 00:07:44,631 or so . Um and we assess that the 200 00:07:44,631 --> 00:07:46,742 Russians continue to make incremental 201 00:07:46,742 --> 00:07:50,580 progress moving uh down from the 202 00:07:50,580 --> 00:07:53,570 north uh pushing down into the Donbas 203 00:07:53,570 --> 00:07:57,260 area from the north of that area , 204 00:07:57,640 --> 00:07:59,751 particularly along the line of access 205 00:07:59,751 --> 00:08:01,862 coming out of a town called Elysium . 206 00:08:01,862 --> 00:08:04,870 Um but it's incremental and it's still 207 00:08:04,870 --> 00:08:07,037 plotting , as I've said it , it's it's 208 00:08:07,037 --> 00:08:09,320 slow and it's uneven and they continue 209 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,090 to meet very stiff Ukrainian resistance . 210 00:08:12,090 --> 00:08:14,910 So , um no , we would not call it a 211 00:08:14,910 --> 00:08:16,910 stalemate in the classic sense that 212 00:08:16,910 --> 00:08:18,966 just everything is frozen . It's not 213 00:08:18,966 --> 00:08:20,966 frozen . There's a lot of artillery 214 00:08:20,966 --> 00:08:23,188 going back and forth . There's a lot of 215 00:08:23,188 --> 00:08:25,188 movement back and forth . It's just 216 00:08:25,188 --> 00:08:27,243 that when you take two steps back in 217 00:08:27,243 --> 00:08:29,132 the aggregate , you don't see the 218 00:08:29,132 --> 00:08:28,770 Russians really making a lot of 219 00:08:28,770 --> 00:08:31,110 progress over the course of time . We 220 00:08:31,110 --> 00:08:33,054 still believe that they are behind 221 00:08:33,054 --> 00:08:35,250 their own schedule . Uh and that what 222 00:08:35,260 --> 00:08:37,530 progress they're making is very limited 223 00:08:37,530 --> 00:08:40,450 in terms of just geographic reach gen 224 00:08:40,790 --> 00:08:42,901 john I'd like to get your reaction to 225 00:08:42,901 --> 00:08:45,012 Putin's speech on Red Square today at 226 00:08:45,012 --> 00:08:46,990 Victory Day and the fact that they 227 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,222 didn't have any flyovers . They usually 228 00:08:49,222 --> 00:08:52,620 fly overs . Um What what did you notice 229 00:08:52,620 --> 00:08:54,731 about this ? And what's your reaction 230 00:08:54,731 --> 00:08:57,009 to the words he chose and what he said ? 231 00:08:57,009 --> 00:08:58,842 I can't account for their parade 232 00:08:58,842 --> 00:09:01,060 planning . Uh and what assets they had 233 00:09:01,060 --> 00:09:03,116 or didn't have . I think Ministry of 234 00:09:03,116 --> 00:09:05,338 Defense can mr Putin can speak to their 235 00:09:05,590 --> 00:09:09,360 their parade . What I would tell 236 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,290 you is that um we still heard 237 00:09:13,290 --> 00:09:16,650 some of the same bluster , some of the 238 00:09:16,650 --> 00:09:20,630 same uh falsehoods . Uh some of the 239 00:09:20,630 --> 00:09:23,630 same . Um quite frankly , 240 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,380 just untruths in 241 00:09:27,380 --> 00:09:29,547 terms of his rhetoric that we've heard 242 00:09:29,547 --> 00:09:31,769 from the beginning . I mean , he talked 243 00:09:31,769 --> 00:09:34,970 about um he talked about this being a 244 00:09:34,980 --> 00:09:38,770 justified Military operation . It's not 245 00:09:38,780 --> 00:09:40,947 he still had diplomatic options on the 246 00:09:40,947 --> 00:09:42,836 table on February 24 and chose to 247 00:09:42,836 --> 00:09:45,550 ignore them . Ukraine posed no threat , 248 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:47,671 not only no threat to Russia , but no 249 00:09:47,671 --> 00:09:49,782 threat to anybody else . So it wasn't 250 00:09:49,782 --> 00:09:51,949 justified . He said it was timely that 251 00:09:51,949 --> 00:09:53,838 it needed to happen now . No , it 252 00:09:53,838 --> 00:09:55,727 didn't . Again , he had plenty of 253 00:09:55,727 --> 00:09:58,004 options available to him , and he said , 254 00:09:58,004 --> 00:10:00,060 and he talked about , you know , the 255 00:10:00,060 --> 00:10:02,060 ridding the region or of Ukraine of 256 00:10:02,060 --> 00:10:05,870 nazis . Um you know , who's in Ukraine ? 257 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,570 Ukrainians ? Not nazis . I mean , it 258 00:10:08,570 --> 00:10:11,940 was just a ridiculous claim . Um So we 259 00:10:11,940 --> 00:10:14,051 heard pretty much the same out of out 260 00:10:14,051 --> 00:10:16,940 of Mr Putin , what we didn't hear . Not 261 00:10:16,940 --> 00:10:18,884 that we expected too , but what we 262 00:10:18,884 --> 00:10:21,600 should have heard was plans for how 263 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:23,656 he's going to end the war , How he's 264 00:10:23,656 --> 00:10:25,822 gonna move his forces out of Ukraine . 265 00:10:25,822 --> 00:10:27,933 Uh and how he's gonna finally respect 266 00:10:27,933 --> 00:10:30,840 Ukraine as a sovereign state and nation 267 00:10:30,850 --> 00:10:33,670 that borders his a nation , that posed 268 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:35,902 absolutely zero threat . That's what we 269 00:10:35,902 --> 00:10:38,013 didn't hear . And I think that's what 270 00:10:38,013 --> 00:10:40,124 uh what he should have said , he said 271 00:10:40,124 --> 00:10:42,236 in his speech that Ukraine was on the 272 00:10:42,236 --> 00:10:44,402 verge of getting nuclear weapons . And 273 00:10:44,402 --> 00:10:46,513 that that was one of the reasons they 274 00:10:46,513 --> 00:10:49,260 went in another falsehood just not true . 275 00:10:50,090 --> 00:10:52,950 And the Ukrainian government says that 276 00:10:53,010 --> 00:10:56,150 100 1.2 million Ukrainians have now 277 00:10:56,150 --> 00:10:58,350 been deported to Russia and are in 278 00:10:58,740 --> 00:11:02,510 these camps . Do you have evidence of 279 00:11:02,510 --> 00:11:04,510 that ? Do you see these camps ? Are 280 00:11:04,510 --> 00:11:07,650 these concentration camps ? I can't I 281 00:11:07,660 --> 00:11:10,240 can't assert to the number . Um but we 282 00:11:10,250 --> 00:11:14,100 we um we certainly have 283 00:11:14,100 --> 00:11:16,630 seen indications that Ukrainians are 284 00:11:16,630 --> 00:11:20,580 being moved from 285 00:11:20,590 --> 00:11:23,970 Ukraine into Russia . I can't speak to 286 00:11:23,980 --> 00:11:26,400 how many camps or what they look like . 287 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,622 I mean , I don't know that we have that 288 00:11:28,622 --> 00:11:30,456 level of detail , but we do have 289 00:11:30,456 --> 00:11:32,567 indications that Ukrainians are being 290 00:11:32,567 --> 00:11:34,733 taken against their will into Russia . 291 00:11:34,733 --> 00:11:36,567 Again , unconscionable , not the 292 00:11:36,567 --> 00:11:38,344 behavior of responsible power . 293 00:11:38,344 --> 00:11:40,400 Certainly another indication that he 294 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,178 simply won't accept and respect 295 00:11:42,178 --> 00:11:44,400 Ukrainian sovereignty and that they are 296 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,622 citizens of another nation . Isn't that 297 00:11:46,622 --> 00:11:48,733 ethnic cleansing though ? If you take 298 00:11:48,733 --> 00:11:50,844 1.2 million people from a country and 299 00:11:50,844 --> 00:11:52,900 move them to camp , So I'm gonna let 300 00:11:52,900 --> 00:11:55,122 that that's not a determination that is 301 00:11:55,122 --> 00:11:57,178 best coming from the U . S . Defense 302 00:11:57,178 --> 00:11:59,233 Department , we've long talked about 303 00:11:59,233 --> 00:12:01,233 the fact that we do believe Russian 304 00:12:01,233 --> 00:12:03,567 soldiers continue to conduct war crimes . 305 00:12:03,567 --> 00:12:05,511 Um but beyond that , I think we're 306 00:12:05,511 --> 00:12:07,622 gonna I think it's better not for the 307 00:12:07,622 --> 00:12:09,844 Defense Department to make that kind of 308 00:12:09,844 --> 00:12:09,380 determination . There's a process for 309 00:12:09,380 --> 00:12:11,547 that and it doesn't reside here in the 310 00:12:11,547 --> 00:12:13,713 pentagon and we want to respect that . 311 00:12:13,713 --> 00:12:14,824 But look , I mean , 312 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,662 Again , you don't have to look very far 313 00:12:19,662 --> 00:12:21,718 to see evidence of Russian brutality 314 00:12:21,718 --> 00:12:24,250 here . Uh continued , we're on day 75 , 315 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:28,020 Which means 75 days of brutalizing 316 00:12:28,350 --> 00:12:32,110 um the nation of 317 00:12:32,110 --> 00:12:34,332 Ukraine and the Ukrainian people . Um , 318 00:12:34,332 --> 00:12:37,850 and every time you think 319 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,030 they just can't fall to a new low , 320 00:12:41,270 --> 00:12:43,890 they prove you wrong . Yeah . Travis . 321 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:46,420 Thanks john . With all the U . S . 322 00:12:46,420 --> 00:12:48,360 Weapons and hardware flowing into 323 00:12:48,370 --> 00:12:50,426 Ukraine . Is there any concern about 324 00:12:50,426 --> 00:12:52,648 the Ukrainians ability to maintain that 325 00:12:52,648 --> 00:12:54,537 equipment ? Um , do they have the 326 00:12:54,537 --> 00:12:57,850 capacity to do that ? And um , as the 327 00:12:57,860 --> 00:12:59,471 department's been having any 328 00:12:59,471 --> 00:13:01,582 discussions with the Ukrainians about 329 00:13:01,582 --> 00:13:03,749 potential solutions like using private 330 00:13:03,749 --> 00:13:05,990 contractors to work on the look , I 331 00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:08,268 mean , one of the reasons why , I mean , 332 00:13:08,268 --> 00:13:10,323 you've talked and we've talked about 333 00:13:10,323 --> 00:13:12,490 the kinds of systems we're giving them 334 00:13:12,490 --> 00:13:14,323 is we're we really are trying to 335 00:13:14,323 --> 00:13:16,434 provide them the kinds of things they 336 00:13:16,434 --> 00:13:18,490 know how to already use . And that's 337 00:13:18,490 --> 00:13:20,490 why we've been working with so many 338 00:13:20,490 --> 00:13:22,712 other nations that who have inventories 339 00:13:22,712 --> 00:13:25,750 of old soviet era , uh , weapons and 340 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:27,528 systems because that's what the 341 00:13:27,528 --> 00:13:29,639 Ukrainians are , are comfortable with 342 00:13:29,639 --> 00:13:29,460 what they're trained on . It's what 343 00:13:29,460 --> 00:13:32,480 they're used to using . Um , now we 344 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,860 have started to , as the war has gone 345 00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:37,060 on and and they have , you know , 346 00:13:37,070 --> 00:13:39,070 continue to work themselves through 347 00:13:39,070 --> 00:13:41,126 some of those systems . We have been 348 00:13:41,126 --> 00:13:42,959 trying to provide them with some 349 00:13:42,959 --> 00:13:44,959 additional advanced systems that do 350 00:13:44,959 --> 00:13:47,126 come from our inventory . The howitzer 351 00:13:47,126 --> 00:13:47,100 is a great example that they , But that 352 00:13:47,100 --> 00:13:49,267 required some training . It still is , 353 00:13:49,267 --> 00:13:51,044 we're now trained more than 300 354 00:13:51,044 --> 00:13:52,767 Ukrainian artillery man On the 355 00:13:52,767 --> 00:13:54,989 howitzers . And there's another 50 plus 356 00:13:54,989 --> 00:13:57,044 that are going through that training 357 00:13:57,044 --> 00:13:59,044 right now . We've also just started 358 00:13:59,044 --> 00:14:01,211 today a two week maintainer course for 359 00:14:01,211 --> 00:14:03,378 the howitzer . Because it is , it is a 360 00:14:03,378 --> 00:14:05,544 system that not only did they not have 361 00:14:05,544 --> 00:14:07,711 experience using , but they don't have 362 00:14:07,711 --> 00:14:09,933 experience maintaining . And as you use 363 00:14:09,933 --> 00:14:12,044 these things , any artillery men will 364 00:14:12,044 --> 00:14:11,940 tell you there , they're they're gonna 365 00:14:11,940 --> 00:14:14,107 break every now and then there's gonna 366 00:14:14,107 --> 00:14:16,273 be required maintenance . And so we've 367 00:14:16,273 --> 00:14:18,384 just now started a two week course uh 368 00:14:18,384 --> 00:14:20,551 just actually started today to to take 369 00:14:20,551 --> 00:14:22,496 uh some artillery men and put them 370 00:14:22,496 --> 00:14:24,773 through some some maintenance training . 371 00:14:24,773 --> 00:14:27,110 And I suspect that that that too will 372 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,610 be an ongoing requirement . Um and if 373 00:14:29,610 --> 00:14:31,610 that's needed for some of the other 374 00:14:31,610 --> 00:14:33,943 systems will look at that . But I think , 375 00:14:33,943 --> 00:14:33,720 you know , some of the other systems 376 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:35,887 like the counter artillery radar , the 377 00:14:35,887 --> 00:14:39,140 mobile air defense radar , um uh right 378 00:14:39,140 --> 00:14:41,251 now we're focused on getting them the 379 00:14:41,251 --> 00:14:43,362 operational uh training on that . And 380 00:14:43,362 --> 00:14:45,418 if we feel like there's a need to do 381 00:14:45,418 --> 00:14:47,473 additional training on maintaining , 382 00:14:47,473 --> 00:14:49,473 well , we'll do that , I just don't 383 00:14:49,473 --> 00:14:51,584 have any plans to announce for that . 384 00:14:51,584 --> 00:14:53,696 So , but but but Travis what we're we 385 00:14:53,696 --> 00:14:55,918 while we understand the need to do that 386 00:14:55,918 --> 00:14:58,140 as you give them more capable systems , 387 00:14:58,140 --> 00:15:00,084 we also want to be mindful that we 388 00:15:00,084 --> 00:15:02,140 don't overload their system with too 389 00:15:02,140 --> 00:15:04,362 much of that because they're still very 390 00:15:04,362 --> 00:15:06,584 much in an active fight um and manpower 391 00:15:06,584 --> 00:15:08,810 matters to them in that fight . So it's 392 00:15:08,810 --> 00:15:10,977 a balance . You want to make sure that 393 00:15:10,977 --> 00:15:13,199 they can use the material that they can 394 00:15:13,199 --> 00:15:15,660 up keep it up and maintain it . But you 395 00:15:15,660 --> 00:15:17,549 don't want to put such an onerous 396 00:15:17,549 --> 00:15:19,800 requirement on them , that it , that it 397 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:21,967 distracts them too much from the fight 398 00:15:21,967 --> 00:15:24,133 at hand . So , again , this is another 399 00:15:24,133 --> 00:15:26,244 reason why , you know , we're staying 400 00:15:26,244 --> 00:15:28,244 in touch with Minister Reznikoff to 401 00:15:28,244 --> 00:15:28,110 have that kind of conversation to make 402 00:15:28,110 --> 00:15:29,999 sure that we're striking the best 403 00:15:29,999 --> 00:15:32,221 balance in that regard . I think that's 404 00:15:32,221 --> 00:15:34,388 the concern there is so much moving in 405 00:15:34,388 --> 00:15:34,100 that they might not have the capacity . 406 00:15:34,100 --> 00:15:36,267 So is the sense that this new training 407 00:15:36,267 --> 00:15:38,156 program that for maintainers that 408 00:15:38,156 --> 00:15:40,322 you're putting together will fill that 409 00:15:40,322 --> 00:15:42,156 need , Or do you anticipate that 410 00:15:42,156 --> 00:15:44,156 there's going to be additional need 411 00:15:44,156 --> 00:15:43,290 that they're gonna have to figure out 412 00:15:43,290 --> 00:15:45,290 some way ? I think it's too soon to 413 00:15:45,290 --> 00:15:47,457 know . But what I can tell you is that 414 00:15:47,457 --> 00:15:49,734 that we're gonna stay open minded here . 415 00:15:49,734 --> 00:15:51,790 And if there's a need for additional 416 00:15:51,790 --> 00:15:53,957 training , if there's a need for other 417 00:15:53,957 --> 00:15:53,830 systems that could use some maintenance 418 00:15:53,830 --> 00:15:56,180 support to include the provision of 419 00:15:56,180 --> 00:15:58,640 spare parts , because we can't expect 420 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:00,307 that the Ukrainians are gonna 421 00:16:00,307 --> 00:16:02,362 necessarily have all the spare parts 422 00:16:02,362 --> 00:16:02,340 for these things , then , you know , 423 00:16:02,340 --> 00:16:04,562 we're gonna do that . In fact , we have 424 00:16:04,562 --> 00:16:06,507 already , uh , the howitzers are a 425 00:16:06,507 --> 00:16:08,729 great example . I mean , as part of the 426 00:16:08,729 --> 00:16:11,062 shipment of the actual pieces , the the , 427 00:16:11,062 --> 00:16:13,173 the artillery tubes , we have already 428 00:16:13,173 --> 00:16:15,229 started to flow in spare parts , the 429 00:16:15,229 --> 00:16:17,660 kinds of parts that are the ones that 430 00:16:17,740 --> 00:16:19,907 you know , that you need the most when 431 00:16:19,907 --> 00:16:21,907 you're using them in in combat . So 432 00:16:21,907 --> 00:16:24,073 we're gonna stay open minded on that . 433 00:16:24,073 --> 00:16:27,100 Yeah , Yeah . On $100 million dollars 434 00:16:27,110 --> 00:16:30,440 left . Is it just 100 million left out 435 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,850 of the $3.8 billion 436 00:16:32,850 --> 00:16:37,880 $100 437 00:16:37,890 --> 00:16:38,890 million 438 00:16:38,890 --> 00:16:42,990 we 439 00:16:42,990 --> 00:16:46,460 have about $100 million dollars left 440 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,560 And then the rest of it has been used 441 00:16:49,570 --> 00:16:51,792 in procurement of arms and ammunition . 442 00:16:51,792 --> 00:16:53,903 Were talking about drawdown authority 443 00:16:53,903 --> 00:16:56,070 only . And so that's why the president 444 00:16:56,070 --> 00:16:58,070 asked as part of this , of this $33 445 00:16:58,070 --> 00:17:01,860 billion five billion of it 446 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:04,200 is just for additional presidential 447 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,380 drawdown authority . Six billion is to 448 00:17:06,380 --> 00:17:08,158 be used in the Ukraine security 449 00:17:08,158 --> 00:17:10,158 assistance initiative . So that's , 450 00:17:10,350 --> 00:17:12,628 That's where that six billion would be , 451 00:17:12,628 --> 00:17:15,620 where we would go out . And by the 452 00:17:15,620 --> 00:17:18,560 material specifically to with the 453 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:20,560 purpose specifically descended into 454 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,630 Ukraine . The drawdown authority allows 455 00:17:23,630 --> 00:17:25,686 us to go get it off our shelves . We 456 00:17:25,686 --> 00:17:28,120 already own it . It's already ours and 457 00:17:28,130 --> 00:17:30,830 get it right to Ukraine . So we have 458 00:17:30,830 --> 00:17:33,590 about 100 million left . Uh , in terms 459 00:17:33,590 --> 00:17:36,550 of what we haven't announced . Um , we 460 00:17:36,550 --> 00:17:38,772 think and again , this is an estimate , 461 00:17:38,772 --> 00:17:41,020 but third week of this month . Uh , 462 00:17:41,030 --> 00:17:43,141 well by the third week of the month , 463 00:17:43,141 --> 00:17:46,490 we expect to , to , uh , to , to 464 00:17:46,490 --> 00:17:49,920 utilize all of that . Um , which is why 465 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:52,610 again , we encourage Congress to act 466 00:17:52,610 --> 00:17:54,666 quickly on the supplemental that the 467 00:17:54,666 --> 00:17:56,888 president submitted because that will , 468 00:17:56,888 --> 00:17:58,832 will be able to just keep the flow 469 00:17:58,832 --> 00:18:01,110 going uninterrupted . As you have seen . 470 00:18:01,110 --> 00:18:03,520 We have continued drawdown packages . 471 00:18:03,530 --> 00:18:06,330 It varies in frequency , but pretty 472 00:18:06,340 --> 00:18:08,507 pretty , pretty frequently , sometimes 473 00:18:08,507 --> 00:18:10,507 more than one a week , depending on 474 00:18:10,507 --> 00:18:13,860 what we're giving to them . So , um , 475 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:16,351 obviously time is of the essence . We 476 00:18:16,351 --> 00:18:18,573 want to be able to , we'd like to be in 477 00:18:18,573 --> 00:18:20,184 a situation where there's no 478 00:18:20,184 --> 00:18:22,240 interruption to that ability to draw 479 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:24,300 down our own stocks . Donbas , of 480 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:26,467 course it has been weeks Russians have 481 00:18:26,467 --> 00:18:29,480 been building up . Um , there are 482 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,250 forces in Donbas and then you have been 483 00:18:32,250 --> 00:18:34,220 saying that they are just moving 484 00:18:34,230 --> 00:18:36,520 extremely slowly . Can you ? To what 485 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:39,560 extent is the building ? I think that 486 00:18:39,570 --> 00:18:41,792 Russians are going to fail in Donbas as 487 00:18:41,792 --> 00:18:44,620 well . If you give that we're not , 488 00:18:44,630 --> 00:18:48,560 we're not gonna predict , you 489 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:50,920 know , the outcome here , cassie . And 490 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:54,210 that's that , that I can't , I can't 491 00:18:54,210 --> 00:18:56,321 imagine in what world that would be a 492 00:18:56,321 --> 00:18:58,460 prudent thing for us to do . What , 493 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,840 what all we can do is tell you what 494 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:03,870 we're seeing and I've done that . And 495 00:19:03,870 --> 00:19:06,040 the other thing we can do is To 496 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,100 continue to talk to Ukrainians as we 497 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:10,860 did today about their needs in the 498 00:19:10,860 --> 00:19:13,380 Donbass specifically . And making sure 499 00:19:13,380 --> 00:19:15,658 that we're doing our best to meet that , 500 00:19:15,658 --> 00:19:17,824 that $150 million dollars package that 501 00:19:17,824 --> 00:19:20,680 we announced friday uh that that does 502 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,930 that , that it's very much in line . Um , 503 00:19:23,940 --> 00:19:26,510 and the next 100 million if if in fact 504 00:19:26,510 --> 00:19:28,566 it's 100 million , I don't know what 505 00:19:28,566 --> 00:19:30,732 the amount is going to be for the next 506 00:19:30,732 --> 00:19:32,899 package . But let's assume that that's 507 00:19:32,899 --> 00:19:35,160 it . We'll do exactly the same working 508 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:37,160 with the Ukrainians about what they 509 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,890 need . So what , what , I can't 510 00:19:40,890 --> 00:19:43,001 predict outcomes on the battlefield . 511 00:19:43,001 --> 00:19:46,040 We would never do that . What I can 512 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,207 predict for you is that our commitment 513 00:19:48,207 --> 00:19:50,450 to helping Ukraine defend itself for 514 00:19:50,450 --> 00:19:52,980 the fight there in that will absolutely 515 00:19:52,980 --> 00:19:56,780 continue . Zoe yes , thank you . Um 516 00:19:56,790 --> 00:20:00,570 you said that the fighting is very 517 00:20:00,570 --> 00:20:04,520 dynamic . Um do you see the artillery 518 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:08,060 that us has provided to the Ukrainians 519 00:20:08,070 --> 00:20:11,560 making a difference on the ground ? 520 00:20:12,940 --> 00:20:16,480 We know again our knowledge is limited . 521 00:20:16,490 --> 00:20:18,670 Once these things go into Ukraine , 522 00:20:18,670 --> 00:20:20,892 they belong to Ukraine and how and when 523 00:20:20,892 --> 00:20:23,114 they use them is up to them all . I can 524 00:20:23,114 --> 00:20:25,670 do is tell you that um that what we're 525 00:20:25,670 --> 00:20:28,530 hearing from the Ukrainians are Uh two 526 00:20:28,530 --> 00:20:31,080 things , one that they are get they are 527 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,320 being used , the howitzers specifically 528 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,264 are being used in combat . Now , I 529 00:20:35,264 --> 00:20:37,320 don't know how many and I don't know 530 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:39,320 where , but they are being used and 531 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,431 that they are effective . Uh and that 532 00:20:41,431 --> 00:20:43,542 there is as we have long said , there 533 00:20:43,542 --> 00:20:45,764 would be that there is a heavy reliance 534 00:20:45,764 --> 00:20:47,987 in this particular fight in the Donbass 535 00:20:47,987 --> 00:20:50,820 region , specifically on artillery long 536 00:20:50,820 --> 00:20:53,042 range fires is the way we talk about it 537 00:20:53,042 --> 00:20:55,042 here , but it's basically artillery 538 00:20:55,042 --> 00:20:57,040 fire and both sides are firing 539 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,550 artillery at the other's positions . Um , 540 00:20:59,560 --> 00:21:01,671 so , so we know we know they're being 541 00:21:01,671 --> 00:21:03,838 useful and we're hearing that directly 542 00:21:03,838 --> 00:21:06,530 from the Ukrainians . Or I'm just 543 00:21:06,530 --> 00:21:08,820 curious as you , as you near the third 544 00:21:08,820 --> 00:21:11,042 week of this month and and near the end 545 00:21:11,042 --> 00:21:13,209 of the , of the drawing on authority , 546 00:21:13,209 --> 00:21:15,320 does the pace of equipment going into 547 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:17,542 Ukraine continue at its at its previous 548 00:21:17,542 --> 00:21:19,764 place ? Or is that slow as you near the 549 00:21:19,764 --> 00:21:21,820 last bit ? No , we're not slowing it 550 00:21:21,820 --> 00:21:23,987 down based on , I mean , we've , we've 551 00:21:23,987 --> 00:21:25,820 gotten enough indications out of 552 00:21:25,820 --> 00:21:28,042 Congress and there's bipartisan support 553 00:21:28,042 --> 00:21:29,876 for supporting Ukraine II . Uh , 554 00:21:29,876 --> 00:21:32,098 everything coming out of the hill tells 555 00:21:32,098 --> 00:21:34,209 us that that , that this supplemental 556 00:21:34,209 --> 00:21:36,542 will will be acted on and approved . Um , 557 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,662 that doesn't mean we still don't wanted 558 00:21:40,662 --> 00:21:42,829 to get acted on very , very quickly so 559 00:21:42,829 --> 00:21:46,160 that there is no interruption . But , 560 00:21:46,170 --> 00:21:49,570 but as for the pace , it's it's it's 561 00:21:49,580 --> 00:21:52,180 going to the same speed as it was 562 00:21:52,180 --> 00:21:54,291 before . I mean , there are still , I 563 00:21:54,291 --> 00:21:57,040 mean , multiple , multiple flights a 564 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:58,873 day heading into the region into 565 00:21:58,873 --> 00:22:01,151 transshipment sites outside of Ukraine , 566 00:22:01,460 --> 00:22:03,571 not just from the United States , but 567 00:22:03,571 --> 00:22:05,682 from other nations as well . Um , and 568 00:22:05,682 --> 00:22:08,520 there's still a daily movement on the 569 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:10,798 ground of that material inside Ukraine , 570 00:22:10,798 --> 00:22:13,150 that's still happening at pace . Now . 571 00:22:13,150 --> 00:22:16,180 Again , we're always adjusting . Uh , 572 00:22:16,190 --> 00:22:18,246 you know , I'm not , I can't say the 573 00:22:18,246 --> 00:22:20,412 same number of , of , of shipments get 574 00:22:20,412 --> 00:22:22,412 into Ukraine on any given day . You 575 00:22:22,412 --> 00:22:24,634 have to adjust it based on the security 576 00:22:24,634 --> 00:22:24,380 environment and the threat , and also 577 00:22:24,380 --> 00:22:26,602 the absorption rate of the Ukrainians . 578 00:22:26,602 --> 00:22:28,769 And how much can they , you know , how 579 00:22:28,769 --> 00:22:30,936 much they're in a fight . So you don't 580 00:22:30,936 --> 00:22:33,047 want to throw the kitchen sink on him 581 00:22:33,047 --> 00:22:35,047 every day when they have , and they 582 00:22:35,047 --> 00:22:36,991 haven't , you know , figured out a 583 00:22:36,991 --> 00:22:38,824 place to put everything or where 584 00:22:38,824 --> 00:22:38,210 they're going to , where they're going 585 00:22:38,210 --> 00:22:40,321 to move it to . So , again , that's a 586 00:22:40,321 --> 00:22:42,377 constant balance that we're striking 587 00:22:42,377 --> 00:22:44,543 and that's why we're in touch with the 588 00:22:44,543 --> 00:22:46,710 Ukrainians everyday . But short answer 589 00:22:46,710 --> 00:22:48,766 to your question is , uh , we're not 590 00:22:48,766 --> 00:22:50,821 allowing The fact that we're down to 591 00:22:50,821 --> 00:22:53,043 100 million left and we think that that 592 00:22:53,043 --> 00:22:55,154 will get us through the third week of 593 00:22:55,154 --> 00:22:54,780 the month to slow down what we're 594 00:22:54,780 --> 00:22:57,750 already providing . Um , and we want to 595 00:22:57,750 --> 00:22:59,861 have a little flexibility with , with 596 00:22:59,861 --> 00:23:02,083 what we've got left to make sure that , 597 00:23:02,083 --> 00:23:05,810 that it , that it more discreetly , 598 00:23:06,090 --> 00:23:08,510 you know , meets their needs . So we're , 599 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,631 we , we know there's not much left in 600 00:23:10,631 --> 00:23:13,200 this current set of authorities . Uh , 601 00:23:13,210 --> 00:23:15,210 so we want to use it smartly and we 602 00:23:15,210 --> 00:23:17,488 want to make sure that that as we work , 603 00:23:17,488 --> 00:23:19,599 that next package , that it's again , 604 00:23:19,599 --> 00:23:21,710 lockstep with what their requirements 605 00:23:21,710 --> 00:23:23,766 are , David . Do you have a plan for 606 00:23:23,766 --> 00:23:25,932 what you would do with the legislation 607 00:23:25,932 --> 00:23:28,210 isn't enacted by the third week ? Well , 608 00:23:28,210 --> 00:23:30,321 we've got we still have some , as you 609 00:23:30,321 --> 00:23:32,488 heard from Mr LaPlante , we still have 610 00:23:32,488 --> 00:23:35,820 some um some money in terms of U . S . 611 00:23:35,820 --> 00:23:38,730 A . I . The uh security assistance 612 00:23:38,730 --> 00:23:40,900 initiative to go purchase things uh , 613 00:23:40,910 --> 00:23:44,150 to to to provide them . Um , but we're 614 00:23:44,150 --> 00:23:46,372 working closely with Congress on this . 615 00:23:46,372 --> 00:23:48,428 And again , we've seen no indication 616 00:23:48,428 --> 00:23:51,790 that uh , this is gonna be uh an issue . 617 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:54,133 I mean , every indication we're hearing , 618 00:23:54,133 --> 00:23:56,078 including from Speaker Pelosi just 619 00:23:56,078 --> 00:23:58,189 yesterday , is that Congress will act 620 00:23:58,189 --> 00:24:01,030 on this . Does that lend lease 621 00:24:01,430 --> 00:24:04,120 legislation make it possible to just 622 00:24:04,330 --> 00:24:08,310 send stuff without , oh , without any 623 00:24:08,310 --> 00:24:11,340 money from Congress ? I think I'll let 624 00:24:11,350 --> 00:24:14,840 I'll let the president speak for for 625 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,740 this . Um , and I think there'll be 626 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:19,851 more , he'll have more to say on this 627 00:24:19,851 --> 00:24:22,073 later today . I don't want to get ahead 628 00:24:22,073 --> 00:24:24,240 of the of the president . I would just 629 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,462 say that any uh any support that we get 630 00:24:26,462 --> 00:24:28,500 from Congress and Congress has been 631 00:24:28,510 --> 00:24:31,050 very supportive . But any additional 632 00:24:31,050 --> 00:24:33,290 support we get from Congress in terms 633 00:24:33,290 --> 00:24:35,470 of security assistance to Ukraine is 634 00:24:35,470 --> 00:24:37,359 welcome . And uh , and we'll work 635 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,700 inside that . Good . You just want to 636 00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:41,533 go back to the stalemate and the 637 00:24:41,533 --> 00:24:44,020 stalemate a little bit , you know , a 638 00:24:44,030 --> 00:24:46,252 few weeks ago . 3 , 4 weeks ago . There 639 00:24:46,252 --> 00:24:48,252 was a lot of energy behind the idea 640 00:24:48,252 --> 00:24:50,950 that those weeks that we're now in 641 00:24:51,340 --> 00:24:53,370 after the Russians retrenched and 642 00:24:53,380 --> 00:24:55,770 focused on the east , You know , what 643 00:24:55,780 --> 00:24:59,180 was a do or die moment ? And then it 644 00:24:59,180 --> 00:25:01,124 was critical to seeing how well it 645 00:25:01,124 --> 00:25:03,260 would , how well they would do . 646 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,351 They're just not , you know , despite 647 00:25:06,351 --> 00:25:08,450 the incrementalism and battlefield , 648 00:25:08,460 --> 00:25:10,571 there does not seem to be those kinds 649 00:25:10,571 --> 00:25:13,560 of objectives overtaken . 650 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,650 What are you guys at all 651 00:25:17,300 --> 00:25:20,660 surprised by the lack of that 652 00:25:21,340 --> 00:25:25,120 momentum ? Now ? You're forgetting like 653 00:25:25,130 --> 00:25:27,241 whatever happens on the battlefield , 654 00:25:27,241 --> 00:25:29,408 But are you surprised with the lack of 655 00:25:29,408 --> 00:25:31,741 momentum that they've achieved thus far ? 656 00:25:31,741 --> 00:25:34,100 And uh what do you think that means 657 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:36,156 either way , the lack of momentum by 658 00:25:36,156 --> 00:25:39,570 the Russians ? I wouldn't say there's 659 00:25:39,570 --> 00:25:42,140 surprise . I mean , uh we're watching 660 00:25:42,140 --> 00:25:44,307 this unfold in real time , same as you 661 00:25:44,307 --> 00:25:45,660 Gordon ? Um 662 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:51,860 in fact , some of what we thought 663 00:25:52,940 --> 00:25:56,240 I was going to happen has happened . We 664 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:58,296 knew that this would be an artillery 665 00:25:58,296 --> 00:26:00,296 fight and it's turning out to be an 666 00:26:00,296 --> 00:26:04,260 artillery fight . Uh , we knew that um 667 00:26:04,940 --> 00:26:07,180 the Russians would meet a stiff 668 00:26:07,180 --> 00:26:09,347 Ukrainian resistance because they have 669 00:26:09,347 --> 00:26:11,569 been there since , since before the war 670 00:26:11,569 --> 00:26:13,736 began . I mean , there's been fighting 671 00:26:13,736 --> 00:26:15,624 in the Donbas region and that has 672 00:26:15,624 --> 00:26:17,347 proven true that the Ukrainian 673 00:26:17,347 --> 00:26:19,347 resistance in the Donbas remains uh 674 00:26:19,347 --> 00:26:22,560 stiff . Um and that um 675 00:26:23,740 --> 00:26:26,600 progress in the Donbas , because of the 676 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,880 terrain , because of the because of the 677 00:26:28,890 --> 00:26:32,660 weather , the mud . Um and because of 678 00:26:32,670 --> 00:26:34,930 the fact that it's not that it's flat , 679 00:26:34,940 --> 00:26:37,960 it's open , it's not as urban , that 680 00:26:38,540 --> 00:26:41,140 uh that it would be that that that the 681 00:26:41,140 --> 00:26:43,084 Russians would have to in order to 682 00:26:43,084 --> 00:26:45,084 achieve their progress , they would 683 00:26:45,084 --> 00:26:46,918 have to focus on small towns and 684 00:26:46,918 --> 00:26:49,560 villages unlike , well earlier , 685 00:26:49,570 --> 00:26:51,292 remember we were talking about 686 00:26:51,292 --> 00:26:53,570 encircling , right , trying to encircle 687 00:26:53,570 --> 00:26:57,160 Kiev , uh china , heave hark eve , 688 00:26:57,170 --> 00:27:00,610 um miccoli of all these , these larger 689 00:27:00,610 --> 00:27:02,832 towns and so what we're seeing now is a 690 00:27:02,832 --> 00:27:04,666 focus on sort of smaller games , 691 00:27:04,666 --> 00:27:07,120 smaller towns and villages . Um and 692 00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:08,953 again , this is terrain that the 693 00:27:08,953 --> 00:27:11,120 Ukrainians know extraordinarily well , 694 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:13,342 so I don't know that there's like a lot 695 00:27:13,342 --> 00:27:17,250 of surprise here , but um but 696 00:27:17,260 --> 00:27:20,320 it's certainly clear at least Where we 697 00:27:20,330 --> 00:27:23,160 stand on day 75 and nobody knows what 698 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,490 day 76 is going to look like that the 699 00:27:25,490 --> 00:27:28,220 Russians have not overcome the 700 00:27:28,230 --> 00:27:30,280 challenges that they were trying to 701 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,710 overcome in this new part of the 702 00:27:32,710 --> 00:27:35,180 conflict . They haven't uh they've 703 00:27:35,190 --> 00:27:37,301 they've gotten a little bit better at 704 00:27:37,301 --> 00:27:39,468 logistics and sustainment , but not so 705 00:27:39,468 --> 00:27:41,634 much that they , that they , that they 706 00:27:41,634 --> 00:27:43,634 feel comfortable outrunning or even 707 00:27:43,634 --> 00:27:45,634 attempting to outrun their lines of 708 00:27:45,634 --> 00:27:47,579 supply . They haven't solved their 709 00:27:47,579 --> 00:27:50,910 command and control problems . Um Uh 710 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:53,340 they have submitted now that they've 711 00:27:53,350 --> 00:27:55,670 put in the fight more than 90 Battalion 712 00:27:55,670 --> 00:27:57,726 tactical groups , but it's not clear 713 00:27:57,726 --> 00:27:59,337 exactly what the operational 714 00:27:59,337 --> 00:28:01,448 effectiveness is of all those because 715 00:28:01,448 --> 00:28:03,392 so many of them have been depleted 716 00:28:03,392 --> 00:28:05,503 because of the previous fighting . Um 717 00:28:05,503 --> 00:28:07,614 and we don't believe that they have , 718 00:28:07,614 --> 00:28:09,837 while they have tried to get better and 719 00:28:09,837 --> 00:28:11,948 you certainly see pockets where there 720 00:28:11,948 --> 00:28:14,059 are more integrated air to ground and 721 00:28:14,059 --> 00:28:16,226 maneuver between units . It's not , it 722 00:28:16,226 --> 00:28:19,410 hasn't jelled yet . So um so they 723 00:28:19,420 --> 00:28:21,364 they're certainly trying to to get 724 00:28:21,364 --> 00:28:23,800 better , but there's there's not an 725 00:28:23,810 --> 00:28:26,032 indication here that they've solved all 726 00:28:26,032 --> 00:28:27,921 their problems . And as you might 727 00:28:27,921 --> 00:28:29,810 recall A week or so ago , we were 728 00:28:29,810 --> 00:28:32,090 talking about that that that that it 729 00:28:32,090 --> 00:28:34,201 remained to be seen whether they were 730 00:28:34,201 --> 00:28:36,201 going to be able to fix the kind of 731 00:28:36,201 --> 00:28:38,423 problems that they had in the north and 732 00:28:38,423 --> 00:28:40,534 thus far , day 75 , it doesn't appear 733 00:28:40,534 --> 00:28:44,150 like they have . Uh Okay , thank 734 00:28:44,150 --> 00:28:46,590 you . I want to ask you about South 735 00:28:46,590 --> 00:28:49,140 Korea . The new administration will 736 00:28:49,140 --> 00:28:51,370 come into the office tomorrow that they 737 00:28:51,370 --> 00:28:54,640 are strongly interested in reinforcing 738 00:28:54,650 --> 00:28:57,590 the deterrence against North Korea is 739 00:28:57,590 --> 00:29:00,530 the US willing to discuss a bigger 740 00:29:00,530 --> 00:29:03,280 military exercises more U . S . Assets 741 00:29:03,290 --> 00:29:05,346 on the korean peninsula with the new 742 00:29:05,346 --> 00:29:07,457 administration . I would get ahead of 743 00:29:07,457 --> 00:29:09,623 discussions that haven't happened . Um 744 00:29:09,623 --> 00:29:11,960 We we look forward to working uh with 745 00:29:11,970 --> 00:29:14,380 with the new government in South Korea 746 00:29:14,390 --> 00:29:17,020 as we do with with every new 747 00:29:17,020 --> 00:29:18,964 administration there . South Korea 748 00:29:18,964 --> 00:29:21,290 remains a key ally . We're always going 749 00:29:21,290 --> 00:29:23,401 to look for ways to make the alliance 750 00:29:23,401 --> 00:29:26,780 better and more capable and uh well 751 00:29:26,780 --> 00:29:28,891 I'll leave it there . We'll see where 752 00:29:28,891 --> 00:29:31,113 the discussions go separate question on 753 00:29:31,113 --> 00:29:33,790 North Korea . The US publicly said that 754 00:29:33,790 --> 00:29:36,050 North Korea could be ready to conduct a 755 00:29:36,050 --> 00:29:39,330 nuclear test as areas this once . So 756 00:29:39,330 --> 00:29:41,497 generally speaking , you are reluctant 757 00:29:41,497 --> 00:29:44,070 to talk about intelligence matters in 758 00:29:44,070 --> 00:29:47,150 public . So what effect do you expect 759 00:29:47,150 --> 00:29:50,550 by disclosing intelligence or nuclear 760 00:29:50,550 --> 00:29:53,040 test ? Do you expect ? It works as a 761 00:29:53,050 --> 00:29:55,170 deterrence against North Korea . We 762 00:29:55,170 --> 00:29:57,840 were doing that because we are a 763 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,180 responsible nation that prioritizes uh 764 00:30:01,190 --> 00:30:03,790 the reduction of strategic risks . Um 765 00:30:03,790 --> 00:30:05,679 and uh we believe firmly that the 766 00:30:05,679 --> 00:30:07,901 international community must speak with 767 00:30:07,901 --> 00:30:11,090 a unified voice to oppose further 768 00:30:11,090 --> 00:30:13,201 development of such weapons by by the 769 00:30:13,201 --> 00:30:15,368 north . So we're doing it because it's 770 00:30:15,368 --> 00:30:18,460 the responsible thing to do Mike . Yeah . 771 00:30:18,470 --> 00:30:21,980 Speaking of artillery . Oh man why 772 00:30:21,980 --> 00:30:24,036 don't you just come up and give this 773 00:30:24,036 --> 00:30:27,110 part of the briefing ? Ukraine has 774 00:30:27,110 --> 00:30:29,440 specifically asked for sp howitzers 775 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,630 like the one or nine because it will 776 00:30:31,630 --> 00:30:33,797 provide them with more mobility on the 777 00:30:33,797 --> 00:30:35,963 battlefield and the level of ballistic 778 00:30:35,963 --> 00:30:38,186 protection that you won't get on an M . 779 00:30:38,186 --> 00:30:42,090 777 um uh Frances sitting 780 00:30:42,090 --> 00:30:44,090 over assisted over a dozen of their 781 00:30:44,090 --> 00:30:47,000 wheeled howitzers , the caesar , the 782 00:30:47,010 --> 00:30:49,177 Netherlands Belgium and Italy have all 783 00:30:49,177 --> 00:30:51,950 agreed to either send over the M . One 784 00:30:51,950 --> 00:30:55,170 oh nines themselves or the german PCH 785 00:30:55,170 --> 00:30:58,390 2000 sP howitzer . My question is the U . 786 00:30:58,390 --> 00:31:00,730 S . Has more M . One R . Nine than any 787 00:31:00,730 --> 00:31:02,740 country in the world . Why is the 788 00:31:02,740 --> 00:31:04,940 administration dragging his feet on 789 00:31:04,940 --> 00:31:06,773 sending these weapons systems to 790 00:31:06,773 --> 00:31:08,884 Ukraine ? And they need them now they 791 00:31:08,884 --> 00:31:11,210 wanted I would I would take issue that 792 00:31:11,210 --> 00:31:13,210 we're dragging our feet on anything 793 00:31:13,210 --> 00:31:16,130 like I mean no nation has done more to 794 00:31:16,130 --> 00:31:18,241 support Ukraine security needs in the 795 00:31:18,241 --> 00:31:20,700 United States . No nation . I mean in 796 00:31:20,700 --> 00:31:22,700 just the drawdown authorities we've 797 00:31:22,700 --> 00:31:25,460 used already . Uh we've we've provided 798 00:31:25,460 --> 00:31:27,627 Ukraine almost the equivalent of their 799 00:31:27,627 --> 00:31:30,190 entire defense budget for 2021 . Um , 800 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:32,600 so I take I take issue with the idea 801 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:34,656 that we're dragging our feet what we 802 00:31:34,656 --> 00:31:36,878 are doing , including today in the call 803 00:31:36,878 --> 00:31:38,989 with Minister Reznikoff is talking to 804 00:31:38,989 --> 00:31:41,211 the Ukrainians at the senior levels all 805 00:31:41,211 --> 00:31:43,322 the way down to the staff level , but 806 00:31:43,322 --> 00:31:42,830 what they need and what we can provide 807 00:31:42,830 --> 00:31:45,070 them . Um , and it's not just the 808 00:31:45,070 --> 00:31:47,070 United States , as you well noted , 809 00:31:47,070 --> 00:31:49,237 other nations are providing systems as 810 00:31:49,237 --> 00:31:51,292 well . So I'm not going to get , I'm 811 00:31:51,292 --> 00:31:52,848 not going to get inside the 812 00:31:52,848 --> 00:31:52,730 conversations we're having with the 813 00:31:52,730 --> 00:31:55,210 Ukrainians on uh privately about their 814 00:31:55,210 --> 00:31:59,120 needs . But I think the proof is 815 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,064 in what we're announcing every day 816 00:32:01,064 --> 00:32:03,231 about how seriously we're taking their 817 00:32:03,231 --> 00:32:06,660 requirements . Louis , she's been 818 00:32:06,660 --> 00:32:09,660 talking about how the the incremental 819 00:32:09,660 --> 00:32:11,716 progress in the east has been due to 820 00:32:11,716 --> 00:32:13,549 the stiff Ukrainian resistance . 821 00:32:13,549 --> 00:32:15,771 There's also , and some of the problems 822 00:32:15,771 --> 00:32:17,827 they've had with their own logistics 823 00:32:17,827 --> 00:32:17,690 and sustainment , command and control 824 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:19,467 integration . I mean , it's a 825 00:32:19,467 --> 00:32:22,420 combination , but there's also a big 826 00:32:22,430 --> 00:32:24,541 rush to try to get those howitzers in 827 00:32:24,541 --> 00:32:28,380 very , very quickly . And almost all of 828 00:32:28,380 --> 00:32:30,980 them . Can you comment on what effect 829 00:32:30,980 --> 00:32:33,091 the howitzers have had as part of the 830 00:32:33,091 --> 00:32:35,740 combined efforts . Again , all I can do 831 00:32:35,740 --> 00:32:37,907 is is tell you what we're hearing from 832 00:32:37,907 --> 00:32:39,962 the Ukrainians . Again , we don't we 833 00:32:39,962 --> 00:32:42,184 don't track each tube and where it's at 834 00:32:42,184 --> 00:32:44,240 and how many rounds is firing on any 835 00:32:44,240 --> 00:32:46,407 given day . It belongs to Ukraine when 836 00:32:46,407 --> 00:32:48,790 it goes in there . Um , and they use it 837 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,330 as they see fit . Um , we , we know as 838 00:32:52,330 --> 00:32:54,274 my answer to Sylvia , we know that 839 00:32:54,274 --> 00:32:56,441 they're they're getting in and they're 840 00:32:56,441 --> 00:32:58,663 actually being used in combat . We know 841 00:32:58,663 --> 00:33:00,552 that um , you heard the secretary 842 00:33:00,552 --> 00:33:02,774 testified to that last week . Um , uh , 843 00:33:02,774 --> 00:33:04,941 and what we're hearing from Ukrainians 844 00:33:04,941 --> 00:33:07,740 are they are they are very useful and 845 00:33:07,740 --> 00:33:09,907 uh , and they're grateful for them and 846 00:33:09,907 --> 00:33:12,073 that they are having an impact because 847 00:33:12,073 --> 00:33:14,296 they're additive to their own artillery 848 00:33:14,296 --> 00:33:17,170 pieces . I mean , all told the 90 that 849 00:33:17,170 --> 00:33:19,170 were , that were providing us , you 850 00:33:19,170 --> 00:33:21,337 know , provides them 5 to 7 battalions 851 00:33:21,337 --> 00:33:24,100 worth of , of houses , that's that's 852 00:33:24,100 --> 00:33:26,730 not insignificant . Um , but I don't 853 00:33:26,730 --> 00:33:28,841 have , you know , I couldn't give you 854 00:33:28,890 --> 00:33:30,946 the GPS coordinates for each one and 855 00:33:30,946 --> 00:33:33,057 exactly how many rounds is firing and 856 00:33:33,057 --> 00:33:35,057 what it's hitting . The indications 857 00:33:35,057 --> 00:33:37,168 we're getting from the Ukrainians are 858 00:33:37,168 --> 00:33:39,390 they're there in combat and they're and 859 00:33:39,390 --> 00:33:41,223 they're being effective and more 860 00:33:41,223 --> 00:33:44,830 broadly louis if you just take a step 861 00:33:44,830 --> 00:33:46,941 back and , you know , back to address 862 00:33:46,941 --> 00:33:49,108 this question about stalemate , what's 863 00:33:49,108 --> 00:33:49,040 going on . If you just take a look at 864 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,320 what's going on , the fighting over 865 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:53,510 these small towns and villages . Uh , 866 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:55,520 some of them trading hands over the 867 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:57,742 course of just a couple of days you can 868 00:33:57,742 --> 00:34:00,670 see . Um , I mean , I've I've seen some 869 00:34:00,670 --> 00:34:03,140 of the overhead imagery you can see um , 870 00:34:03,150 --> 00:34:06,900 how active and artillery fight this 871 00:34:06,900 --> 00:34:09,011 really is . I mean it is , you know , 872 00:34:09,011 --> 00:34:11,178 the back to Gordon's question , I mean 873 00:34:11,178 --> 00:34:13,570 it is exactly like we thought it was 874 00:34:13,570 --> 00:34:15,792 gonna be like the Ukrainians thought it 875 00:34:15,792 --> 00:34:17,792 was gonna be very dependent on long 876 00:34:17,792 --> 00:34:20,040 range fires . And both sides are both 877 00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:22,900 sides are applying artillery in this 878 00:34:22,900 --> 00:34:25,260 fight . You think that this moment that 879 00:34:25,260 --> 00:34:28,100 Gordon described the pivotal two weeks 880 00:34:28,100 --> 00:34:30,470 in the rush to get him in there in time 881 00:34:31,180 --> 00:34:34,570 that has borne fruition . We 882 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:36,991 um I certainly wouldn't speak for the 883 00:34:36,991 --> 00:34:39,047 Ukrainians . I think it's better for 884 00:34:39,047 --> 00:34:42,020 them to speak to their assessment of 885 00:34:42,020 --> 00:34:44,187 how they're doing and how and how much 886 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:48,520 uh more specifically how much the 887 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,687 Western aid has helped . But but again 888 00:34:50,687 --> 00:34:52,909 are indications from talking to them is 889 00:34:52,909 --> 00:34:55,131 that it has been incredibly critical to 890 00:34:55,131 --> 00:34:57,900 their ability to continue to to defend 891 00:34:57,900 --> 00:35:00,122 themselves in the Donbas , particularly 892 00:35:00,122 --> 00:35:02,178 the howitzers and the rounds that go 893 00:35:02,178 --> 00:35:04,233 with them . Because it's such a it's 894 00:35:04,233 --> 00:35:06,530 such reliant on it is so reliant on 895 00:35:06,790 --> 00:35:09,300 long range fires . But it's not just 896 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:11,467 that , I mean , you know , the counter 897 00:35:11,467 --> 00:35:13,633 artillery radars that they're going to 898 00:35:13,633 --> 00:35:15,689 be able to use will help them defend 899 00:35:15,689 --> 00:35:17,744 against Russian artillery . Uss will 900 00:35:17,744 --> 00:35:19,800 help give them eyes and longer range 901 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:22,300 strike capability . Um I mean it's not 902 00:35:22,310 --> 00:35:24,310 just that we're talking a lot about 903 00:35:24,310 --> 00:35:26,532 howitzers today , which I never thought 904 00:35:26,532 --> 00:35:28,760 I'd be able to do with any semblance of 905 00:35:29,040 --> 00:35:32,160 of knowledge . Thank you mike . But 906 00:35:32,540 --> 00:35:35,900 but uh but it's not just that and again 907 00:35:35,910 --> 00:35:37,910 what the , the , the feedback we're 908 00:35:37,910 --> 00:35:40,090 getting is that these things , all 909 00:35:40,090 --> 00:35:42,090 these things , but particularly the 910 00:35:42,090 --> 00:35:43,757 artillery support is making a 911 00:35:43,757 --> 00:35:45,650 difference . Yeah , Christina . 912 00:35:47,540 --> 00:35:49,596 Given the deterioration that sort of 913 00:35:49,596 --> 00:35:52,290 again , in Hong kong the security 914 00:35:52,300 --> 00:35:54,300 democratic systems there that are , 915 00:35:54,590 --> 00:35:56,534 that are just kind of slowly being 916 00:35:56,534 --> 00:35:59,810 taken away . Uh Do you see any sort of 917 00:35:59,820 --> 00:36:01,876 or would you like to talk to address 918 00:36:01,876 --> 00:36:03,987 some of the changes that might , that 919 00:36:03,987 --> 00:36:05,940 might engender in the security 920 00:36:05,940 --> 00:36:09,880 situation in the region ? No . Well , I 921 00:36:09,890 --> 00:36:13,440 missed Well in Hong kong we've had a 922 00:36:13,450 --> 00:36:16,700 recent change in the way the governor 923 00:36:17,230 --> 00:36:20,050 governorship is going to be . I think 924 00:36:20,050 --> 00:36:22,050 that's a better question put to ned 925 00:36:22,050 --> 00:36:24,217 price over at the State Department . I 926 00:36:24,217 --> 00:36:26,161 think I'll refrain from that . Any 927 00:36:26,161 --> 00:36:27,994 change in the security situation 928 00:36:27,994 --> 00:36:30,106 participate that in the region . I am 929 00:36:30,106 --> 00:36:32,328 not aware of any the security situation 930 00:36:32,328 --> 00:36:34,050 that's different . Joe Gould . 931 00:36:36,830 --> 00:36:38,608 Hey john , thanks for taking my 932 00:36:38,608 --> 00:36:40,663 question . Um , I want to ask you on 933 00:36:40,663 --> 00:36:42,552 the phoenix ghost . Now that this 934 00:36:42,552 --> 00:36:44,663 cohort of Ukrainian troops is wrapped 935 00:36:44,663 --> 00:36:46,663 up training , can you tell us where 936 00:36:46,663 --> 00:36:48,774 that training took place and now that 937 00:36:48,774 --> 00:36:51,380 we know phoenix go stem from an air 938 00:36:51,380 --> 00:36:53,600 force program . Can you tell us if the 939 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:55,740 trainers were with the US Air Force ? 940 00:36:56,130 --> 00:36:58,130 Yeah , the trainers were forced . I 941 00:36:58,130 --> 00:37:00,241 think I talked about that last week . 942 00:37:00,241 --> 00:37:00,650 Um 943 00:37:11,930 --> 00:37:15,170 the , the training , the week long 944 00:37:15,170 --> 00:37:18,910 training for phoenix ghost took place 945 00:37:18,910 --> 00:37:22,810 at Ramstein . Uh and 946 00:37:22,810 --> 00:37:26,150 it wrapped up . It just wrapped up , I 947 00:37:26,150 --> 00:37:29,570 think , I think yesterday . Okay , I'm 948 00:37:29,570 --> 00:37:31,970 gonna have to call it there . Thanks 949 00:37:31,970 --> 00:37:33,914 very much . We'll talk to you guys 950 00:37:33,914 --> 00:37:34,750 tomorrow .