WEBVTT 00:00.289 --> 00:02.819 Mr Secretary , if you can hear us , we 00:02.829 --> 00:04.885 will , I will turn it over to Doctor 00:04.885 --> 00:07.570 Wallander to begin . Ok . Go ahead 00:07.670 --> 00:11.239 check Terry Walder . Good morning , sir . 00:11.640 --> 00:14.279 Uh and go good afternoon to all the 00:14.289 --> 00:17.899 assembled uh um delegations . And so 00:17.909 --> 00:20.020 first let me extend a warm welcome to 00:20.020 --> 00:22.187 our distinguished ministers and Chiefs 00:22.187 --> 00:24.242 of Defense . Thank you for convening 00:24.242 --> 00:26.479 for today's 19th meeting of the Ukraine 00:26.489 --> 00:29.100 Defense Contact group . I'm Celeste 00:29.110 --> 00:31.540 Walder , Assistant Secretary of Defense 00:31.549 --> 00:33.849 and I will serve as facilitator for 00:33.860 --> 00:36.450 today's contact group . Um I would like 00:36.459 --> 00:39.680 to welcome Minister Umarov , we as 00:39.689 --> 00:41.856 always value your presence here at the 00:41.856 --> 00:44.040 U DC G and are looking forward to 00:44.049 --> 00:46.689 hearing from you today . So with that , 00:46.700 --> 00:48.700 let me first introduce Secretary of 00:48.700 --> 00:51.459 Defense Lloyd Austin to deliver uh his 00:51.470 --> 00:53.729 introductory remarks , Mr Secretary 00:53.740 --> 00:56.000 over to you . Thanks , Celeste . Uh 00:56.009 --> 00:58.176 Good afternoon , everyone . It's great 00:58.176 --> 01:00.389 to see you all again . And I'm sorry , 01:00.400 --> 01:02.289 I wouldn't be uh I wasn't able to 01:02.289 --> 01:04.699 travel to Brussels this week . I look 01:04.709 --> 01:06.876 forward to bringing this contact group 01:06.876 --> 01:10.239 together uh in person . Uh Soon I plan 01:10.250 --> 01:12.306 to be in person uh with you today in 01:12.306 --> 01:14.417 Brussels , but I had to return to the 01:14.417 --> 01:16.528 hospital for nonsurgical procedures . 01:16.528 --> 01:18.528 I'm in good condition and my cancer 01:18.528 --> 01:20.528 prognosis remains excellent and I'm 01:20.528 --> 01:22.861 really grateful for all the well wishes . 01:23.800 --> 01:26.720 Uh Thanks for working across time zones 01:26.730 --> 01:29.300 to join us for the 19th meeting of this 01:29.309 --> 01:32.129 contact group . As always , I'm glad 01:32.139 --> 01:34.361 that uh we're joined by a distinguished 01:34.361 --> 01:36.195 delegation from Ukraine , led by 01:36.195 --> 01:38.361 Minister Umarov Rustum . It's great to 01:38.361 --> 01:40.739 have you with us again in a move that 01:40.750 --> 01:42.972 so many allies and partners from around 01:42.972 --> 01:45.139 the globe are with us today . That's a 01:45.139 --> 01:47.250 testament to this coalition's resolve 01:47.250 --> 01:49.470 and unity and we won't back down . 01:50.330 --> 01:52.663 Ladies and gentlemen , later this month , 01:52.663 --> 01:54.774 we will mark two full years since the 01:54.774 --> 01:56.886 start of Russia's full scale invasion 01:56.886 --> 01:59.219 of its peaceful and democratic neighbor , 01:59.219 --> 02:01.900 Ukraine . When Putin launched his 02:01.910 --> 02:05.300 unjust and unp unprovoked war of choice , 02:05.739 --> 02:08.059 he was betting that Ukraine would fold 02:09.380 --> 02:11.547 but he couldn't have been more wrong . 02:11.547 --> 02:13.602 Ukraine fought Putin's invasion with 02:13.602 --> 02:15.824 incredible courage and phenomenal skill 02:15.889 --> 02:17.833 and nations of goodwill around the 02:17.833 --> 02:20.149 world rally to Ukraine's cause the 02:20.160 --> 02:22.330 countries of this contact group almost 02:22.339 --> 02:24.660 two years later are still united in 02:24.669 --> 02:27.199 common purpose . The Kremlin keeps on 02:27.210 --> 02:29.377 betting that we will all lose interest 02:29.377 --> 02:31.559 in Ukraine and that our support will 02:31.570 --> 02:34.389 flicker and fade but I am more 02:34.399 --> 02:36.820 determined than ever and I know that 02:36.830 --> 02:39.470 you are as well . This contact group 02:39.479 --> 02:42.369 remains resolute , undaunted and firm 02:42.899 --> 02:45.470 and make no mistake . United State , 02:45.729 --> 02:47.750 United States continues to stay in 02:47.759 --> 02:50.830 force where with Ukraine and America 02:50.839 --> 02:52.783 will continue to support Ukraine's 02:52.783 --> 02:54.561 principal fight against Putin's 02:54.561 --> 02:57.009 imperial aggression . The Kremlin is 02:57.020 --> 02:59.220 sinking deeper into its self inflicted 02:59.229 --> 03:02.009 isolation . But this coalition of some 03:02.020 --> 03:04.220 50 countries worldwide is here to roll 03:04.229 --> 03:07.119 up our sleeves and get to work and our 03:07.130 --> 03:08.908 allies and partners continue to 03:08.908 --> 03:10.797 shoulder the burden of our shared 03:10.797 --> 03:13.600 security . Almost two years in , we 03:13.610 --> 03:15.832 continue to send security assistance to 03:15.832 --> 03:18.309 the battlefield and we are now building 03:18.320 --> 03:20.979 coalitions for UK Ukraine's long term 03:20.990 --> 03:23.960 security . We remain focused on 03:23.970 --> 03:26.137 accountability for the assistance that 03:26.137 --> 03:28.669 we're providing to Ukraine . We'll work 03:28.679 --> 03:30.790 together today on Ukraine's near term 03:30.790 --> 03:32.970 requirements , including its urgent 03:32.979 --> 03:35.830 need for more artillery ammunition and 03:35.839 --> 03:38.350 air defense missiles and what we're 03:38.360 --> 03:40.582 calling the capability . Coalitions are 03:40.582 --> 03:42.800 standing up and moving out . They're 03:42.809 --> 03:44.976 helping to build the foundations for a 03:44.976 --> 03:47.220 Ukrainian future force that will deter 03:47.229 --> 03:49.860 and defend against continued Russian 03:49.869 --> 03:52.289 aggression and we will continue to 03:52.300 --> 03:54.522 adapt to our support to Ukraine's short 03:54.522 --> 03:56.360 term and long term security 03:56.369 --> 03:59.149 requirements . So let me thank everyone 03:59.160 --> 04:00.827 who is leading the capability 04:00.827 --> 04:03.520 coalitions . You are tackling truly 04:03.529 --> 04:06.759 crucial task . That means building up 04:06.770 --> 04:09.100 Ukraine's future artillery force and 04:09.110 --> 04:11.221 supplying it with enough ammunition . 04:11.389 --> 04:14.669 It means equipping Ukraine with F-16s 04:14.679 --> 04:16.679 and the infrastructure to keep them 04:16.679 --> 04:18.928 flying . And it means ensuring that 04:19.148 --> 04:21.259 Ukraine has an integrated and layered 04:21.259 --> 04:23.204 air defense network to protect its 04:23.204 --> 04:27.160 civilians , cities and skies . We'll 04:27.170 --> 04:29.337 keep using the nimble framework of the 04:29.337 --> 04:31.170 capability coalition to adapt to 04:31.170 --> 04:32.726 Ukraine's evolving security 04:32.726 --> 04:34.837 requirements each of these coalitions 04:34.837 --> 04:37.459 underscores our unity and resolve to 04:37.470 --> 04:39.820 help Ukraine and to confront Russian 04:39.829 --> 04:42.100 aggression . We'll continue to work 04:42.109 --> 04:44.230 together to get Ukraine what it needs 04:44.399 --> 04:47.130 to hold on to its games and to keep 04:47.140 --> 04:49.809 pushing back . Uh Russia's illegal 04:49.820 --> 04:53.070 occupation in the months ahead . The 04:53.079 --> 04:55.429 Kremlin's cruelty is especially clear 04:55.440 --> 04:58.480 during another winter of war , Putin's 04:58.489 --> 05:01.420 forces brazenly bombard Ukraine's uh 05:01.429 --> 05:03.799 cities with ballistic missiles and 05:03.809 --> 05:07.540 Iranian drones . But Ukraine continues 05:07.549 --> 05:10.079 to defy the Kremlin and fight for its 05:10.089 --> 05:12.440 sovereign rights . And we will continue 05:12.450 --> 05:14.450 to dig deep to provide Ukraine with 05:14.450 --> 05:17.769 both short term and and uh and long 05:17.779 --> 05:20.410 term support . The countries of this 05:20.420 --> 05:22.531 coalition include the United States , 05:22.779 --> 05:25.100 including the United States support 05:25.109 --> 05:27.331 Ukraine because it's the right thing to 05:27.331 --> 05:29.165 do and because it is in our core 05:29.165 --> 05:32.029 national security interest , Putin's 05:32.040 --> 05:34.600 indefensible war of aggression poses a 05:34.609 --> 05:36.498 massive challenge to security and 05:36.498 --> 05:39.059 stability in Europe and beyond . And 05:39.070 --> 05:41.070 the Kremlin's invasion is a frontal 05:41.070 --> 05:43.579 assault on the hard won post World War 05:43.589 --> 05:46.269 Two international order that condemns 05:46.279 --> 05:49.019 aggression , defend state sovereignty 05:49.179 --> 05:51.489 and upholds human rights . So the 05:51.500 --> 05:53.444 outcome of Ukraine's fight against 05:53.444 --> 05:55.556 Putin's imperial aggression will help 05:55.556 --> 05:59.000 define global security for decades and 05:59.010 --> 06:02.149 for people of principle and governments 06:02.160 --> 06:04.630 of conscience standing aside while 06:04.640 --> 06:07.079 Ukraine fights for its very existence 06:07.220 --> 06:09.899 is not an option . Ukraine will not 06:09.910 --> 06:13.220 surrender and neither will we . And 06:13.230 --> 06:15.579 with that , we'll pause for a moment as 06:15.589 --> 06:17.929 our friends in the media depart and 06:17.940 --> 06:19.700 then start our agenda . Thank you .