WEBVTT 00:11.260 --> 00:13.316 Well , good morning , everyone . And 00:13.316 --> 00:15.909 thanks for joining the 24th meeting of 00:15.920 --> 00:17.920 the Ukraine Defense Contact group . 00:18.770 --> 00:21.010 It's great to be back at Ramstein and 00:21.020 --> 00:23.389 it's great to see all of you again . 00:24.250 --> 00:27.459 Let me thank Minister Pistorius for 00:27.469 --> 00:31.090 welcoming us again in Germany . I'd 00:31.100 --> 00:33.322 like to also welcome Lieutenant General 00:33.322 --> 00:36.040 Curtis Buzzer . He's just taken over as 00:36.049 --> 00:38.216 a commander of the Security Assistance 00:38.216 --> 00:40.650 Group , Ukraine and Curtis , we know 00:40.659 --> 00:42.659 that you'll do an outstanding job . 00:43.590 --> 00:46.799 It's also great to see Mr Umarov and 00:46.810 --> 00:48.977 the rest of the Ukrainian delegation . 00:49.639 --> 00:53.009 As many of you know , we have a special 00:53.020 --> 00:55.076 guest here with us today , President 00:55.150 --> 00:56.150 Zelensky 01:05.010 --> 01:07.232 and Mr President , your forces and your 01:07.232 --> 01:10.349 people have inspired the world and you 01:10.360 --> 01:12.416 have seen firsthand how this contact 01:12.416 --> 01:14.638 group has moved heaven and earth to get 01:14.638 --> 01:16.940 Ukraine what it needs . We are 01:16.949 --> 01:19.116 absolutely honored to have you here in 01:19.116 --> 01:21.809 person at Ramstein for the first time 01:22.970 --> 01:25.870 and Mr President , the floor is yours . 01:28.199 --> 01:30.779 Thank you very much , Senator . Thank 01:30.790 --> 01:33.730 you for invitation and thank you very 01:33.739 --> 01:36.540 much for your uh leadership in this 01:36.550 --> 01:39.809 Ramstein format and for working with 01:39.819 --> 01:42.830 all of our partners . And thank you 01:42.959 --> 01:46.000 dear partners for your strong support . 01:46.300 --> 01:49.760 Uh Minister Pistorio , thank you so 01:49.769 --> 01:52.550 much for your support and a practical 01:52.559 --> 01:54.392 and effective approach to cooper 01:54.392 --> 01:57.010 operation and for welcoming us today . 01:57.129 --> 01:59.790 Dear ministers , dear generals , 01:59.800 --> 02:03.279 General Koe General Brown , all all our 02:03.290 --> 02:05.980 partners . I'm glad to , to see all of 02:05.989 --> 02:09.210 you and very much appreciate for 02:09.220 --> 02:11.889 continuously being with us since the 02:11.899 --> 02:15.669 start of this war . And until now when 02:15.679 --> 02:18.210 our brigades hold the line on the 02:18.220 --> 02:21.300 battlefield , thanks to the bravery of 02:21.309 --> 02:24.529 our Ukrainian people and your ironclad 02:24.539 --> 02:28.479 support . Now in Borovsk and in 02:29.119 --> 02:32.710 Tsk , in the Donetsk region 02:32.880 --> 02:36.279 of Ukraine , especially um 02:36.320 --> 02:39.470 overriding to feel the power of our 02:39.479 --> 02:41.990 agreements . Dear friends . Today marks 02:42.289 --> 02:45.399 one month since our army 02:45.639 --> 02:48.869 operation began in the Kursk region of 02:48.880 --> 02:51.550 Russia . This is the borderland from 02:51.559 --> 02:54.210 which Putin was preparing to expand the 02:54.220 --> 02:58.130 war in Ukrainian territory . He 02:58.139 --> 03:00.929 was preparing to launch a new offensive 03:00.940 --> 03:04.179 against our city of Sue and we have 03:04.190 --> 03:06.690 turned the tables and are pushing the 03:06.699 --> 03:09.410 war into Russia through our counter 03:09.679 --> 03:12.630 offensive . Today , we control an area 03:12.639 --> 03:16.190 of more than 1300 square kilometers in 03:16.199 --> 03:19.289 the K region and this is includes 03:19.300 --> 03:22.740 100 settlements . A significant part of 03:22.750 --> 03:26.250 this territory was abandoned by Russian 03:26.570 --> 03:29.479 troops . They simply fled when they saw 03:29.490 --> 03:31.729 our forces approaching . Of course , a 03:31.839 --> 03:34.960 significant part of the territory was 03:34.970 --> 03:38.779 taken under control by our forces in 03:38.789 --> 03:40.960 the battle . So far . During the first 03:40.970 --> 03:42.970 months of our operation in the Kurz 03:42.970 --> 03:45.081 region , the Russian forces have lost 03:45.081 --> 03:48.229 about 6000 soldiers killed and 03:48.240 --> 03:51.550 wounded in Kursk only and added 03:51.559 --> 03:54.580 tens of thousands of Russian troops in 03:54.589 --> 03:58.419 other war zones . Thanks to our actions , 03:58.470 --> 04:00.380 there is currently no threat that 04:00.389 --> 04:02.899 Russia will launch a new offensive 04:02.910 --> 04:05.509 operation on our territory against the 04:05.520 --> 04:09.210 city of Suma . As was the case in May 04:09.419 --> 04:12.179 this year when Putin launched assault 04:12.190 --> 04:15.199 against our city of Kharkiv , we also 04:15.210 --> 04:18.220 see changes in the overall war 04:18.230 --> 04:20.559 situation . First of all , as a result 04:20.570 --> 04:23.730 of our actions , Putin has shown his 04:23.739 --> 04:26.459 real interest and this should be 04:26.470 --> 04:29.239 obvious even to those who could still 04:29.250 --> 04:32.230 believe that Putin is at war to protect 04:32.239 --> 04:35.089 some of his people or some of his 04:35.100 --> 04:38.299 security interests . At the same time 04:38.309 --> 04:41.390 as our advance in the coups region , 04:41.399 --> 04:43.339 the Russian army continues its 04:43.350 --> 04:46.445 offensive in Ukraine . The most capable 04:46.454 --> 04:48.984 units of the Russian army are involved 04:48.994 --> 04:51.524 in expanding the zone of occupation of 04:51.535 --> 04:54.595 our territory in the Donetsk region . 04:54.605 --> 04:57.494 This is a clear choice by Moscow . 04:57.505 --> 05:01.154 Putin wants more Ukraine to occupy than 05:01.165 --> 05:04.015 he wants security for Russia . He 05:04.024 --> 05:06.984 doesn't care about Russian land and 05:06.994 --> 05:10.095 people . He just wants to grab as much 05:10.105 --> 05:13.445 of our land and as many of our cities 05:13.454 --> 05:16.450 as possible . Secondly , Putin has 05:16.459 --> 05:19.489 already shed so much blood that against 05:19.500 --> 05:22.250 the black drop of this blood . Russia's 05:22.260 --> 05:25.609 attempts to draw red lines simply do 05:25.619 --> 05:29.019 not work . Instead , we need to keep 05:29.029 --> 05:32.959 our morale high for our joint values 05:32.970 --> 05:36.739 to rule the world and not the red lines 05:37.070 --> 05:40.160 soaked in blood . We have to sustain 05:40.290 --> 05:44.049 our spirit , stamina for the world 05:44.059 --> 05:46.739 to live by rules , to be governed by 05:46.750 --> 05:49.549 law and to ensure security for all , 05:49.559 --> 05:52.220 all of us , for all nations and every 05:52.230 --> 05:55.170 operation that contributes to this 05:55.179 --> 05:58.720 deserves your full support . And 05:58.730 --> 06:02.049 third , we do want to end this war . 06:02.350 --> 06:05.320 We want peace . We want to save our 06:05.329 --> 06:08.640 people , first of all our country and 06:08.649 --> 06:11.290 it is Putin who doesn't want peace and 06:11.299 --> 06:14.350 is absist with territorial 06:14.359 --> 06:17.470 conquests . He wants our cities 06:18.149 --> 06:21.899 or the ruins that remain of them . 06:22.079 --> 06:24.079 And that is why we need stress . We 06:24.079 --> 06:26.809 need to force Russia to seek peace . We 06:26.820 --> 06:29.410 need to make Russia cities and even 06:29.589 --> 06:32.529 Russian soldiers think about what they 06:32.540 --> 06:36.380 need peace or Putin . And it 06:36.390 --> 06:38.850 is realistic to push them to choose 06:38.859 --> 06:42.459 peace , dear , our partners , dear , 06:42.470 --> 06:44.359 our friends . I want to say a few 06:44.359 --> 06:46.850 things now in public and some things 06:46.859 --> 06:49.320 later . Without the press , you will 06:49.329 --> 06:51.869 know that we are operating with a , a 06:51.880 --> 06:54.899 minimum of weaponry . Yes , we are 06:54.910 --> 06:57.630 grateful . Grateful very much for every 06:57.640 --> 06:59.970 support package that is provided to 06:59.980 --> 07:02.730 Ukraine from you , from your countries . 07:02.929 --> 07:04.818 But we need more weapons to drive 07:04.818 --> 07:07.220 Russian forces off our land and 07:07.230 --> 07:09.630 especially in the Donetsk region . Now , 07:09.640 --> 07:12.640 there are many people here at Ramstein 07:12.660 --> 07:15.790 who are actually warriors and each of 07:15.799 --> 07:18.279 you understands how important it is for 07:18.290 --> 07:20.799 a soldier to know that the front line 07:20.809 --> 07:23.070 is not only based on a soldier's 07:23.079 --> 07:26.429 loyalty to his country and his oath , 07:26.440 --> 07:29.519 but also on a sufficient supply of 07:29.529 --> 07:32.230 weapons . That is why it is important 07:32.239 --> 07:34.250 that every support package that is 07:34.260 --> 07:37.690 announced imp promptly put to work on 07:37.700 --> 07:40.980 the battlefield without any delay . The 07:40.989 --> 07:43.200 fighting in the Donetsk region depends 07:43.209 --> 07:46.450 on this . If Putin does not have any 07:46.459 --> 07:48.799 achievements there , he will not have 07:48.809 --> 07:51.010 any achievements anywhere or in 07:51.019 --> 07:53.559 anything . Next . I'm grateful to all 07:53.570 --> 07:57.239 partners for the fact that the 07:57.250 --> 07:59.850 NATO summit in Washington was marked by 07:59.859 --> 08:03.640 decisive on air defense systems for 08:03.649 --> 08:06.100 Ukraine . And I will not speak openly 08:06.109 --> 08:08.619 now about the number of systems we have 08:08.630 --> 08:10.700 received . Thank you so much again . 08:10.910 --> 08:12.970 But the of air defense systems that 08:12.980 --> 08:14.959 have not yet been delivered is 08:14.970 --> 08:17.410 significant . This is what was agreed 08:17.420 --> 08:20.480 upon and this is what was what has not 08:20.489 --> 08:23.160 been fully implemented . The world has 08:23.170 --> 08:25.549 enough air defense systems to ensure 08:25.559 --> 08:28.809 that Russian terror does not have 08:29.179 --> 08:32.570 results . And I urge you to be more 08:32.580 --> 08:35.099 active in this work with us on air 08:35.109 --> 08:37.270 defense and we have already started 08:37.280 --> 08:40.200 operating F-16s . Thank you for the 08:40.210 --> 08:42.919 support secretary and to your partners 08:42.929 --> 08:44.890 and they strike down missiles and 08:44.900 --> 08:47.840 drones . They are very efficient , but 08:47.849 --> 08:51.250 they are few , you know about it and we 08:51.260 --> 08:54.169 need a much stronger fleet of F-16s and 08:54.244 --> 08:57.205 I have proposals that I will say when 08:57.215 --> 09:00.945 the press leaves third point long range 09:00.955 --> 09:03.066 capability . I'm glad that the United 09:03.066 --> 09:05.304 States , United Kingdom , France , 09:05.315 --> 09:08.525 Italy are represented here . Thank you 09:08.534 --> 09:10.744 so much . And I want to say this 09:10.755 --> 09:12.765 hopefully so that there is no 09:12.775 --> 09:14.664 speculation . Thanks to our joint 09:14.664 --> 09:17.065 courage , we have implemented very , 09:17.155 --> 09:19.974 very important operations in particular 09:19.984 --> 09:23.710 in Crimea . These operations allowed us 09:23.719 --> 09:26.119 to return security to the Black Sea and 09:26.130 --> 09:29.450 our food experts . Now we hear that 09:29.460 --> 09:32.479 your l long range policy has not 09:32.489 --> 09:35.979 changed , but we see changes in the in 09:36.000 --> 09:38.222 the attack on storm shadow and scouts , 09:38.349 --> 09:40.940 a shortage of missiles and corporation 09:40.950 --> 09:43.510 and this applies even to our territory 09:43.520 --> 09:46.260 which is occupied by Russia including 09:46.270 --> 09:48.869 Crimea . We think it is wrong that 09:48.880 --> 09:52.039 there are such steps . We need to have 09:52.049 --> 09:54.390 this long range capability not only on 09:54.400 --> 09:56.511 the occupied territory of Ukraine but 09:56.520 --> 09:58.750 also on the Russian territory . Yes , 09:58.760 --> 10:02.190 so that Russia is motivated to seek 10:02.200 --> 10:05.239 peace and one more thing I would like 10:05.250 --> 10:08.669 to see uh investments . We are very 10:08.679 --> 10:11.830 ready to produce more of our own 10:11.929 --> 10:14.380 weapons . Right here in Ukraine . We 10:14.390 --> 10:17.359 are ready to work with you on joint 10:17.369 --> 10:19.679 production . This includes drones , 10:19.690 --> 10:21.880 missiles and other weapons that have 10:21.890 --> 10:24.469 proven themselves in combat and can 10:24.479 --> 10:26.700 strengthen your men and women in the 10:26.710 --> 10:29.950 defense forces after this war . To 10:29.960 --> 10:32.510 achieve this , we need funding . We are 10:32.520 --> 10:34.520 ready to quickly produce everything 10:34.520 --> 10:36.729 that will help us bring this war to an 10:36.739 --> 10:40.159 end . Namely by putting decisive 10:40.169 --> 10:42.349 pressure on Russia for real peace . 10:42.359 --> 10:45.919 Let's make this a time for Russian 10:45.929 --> 10:49.440 aggression to fall in a way that will 10:49.450 --> 10:52.900 end the war and restore a reliable 10:52.909 --> 10:56.289 international security order . We must 10:56.330 --> 10:58.830 do it again . Thank you very much for 10:58.840 --> 11:01.440 all your support . Thank you so much 11:01.450 --> 11:03.506 for the invitation secretary Slavo . 11:04.729 --> 11:08.099 Bye bye . Thank you . Thank you so much . 11:15.630 --> 11:18.190 Well , thank you Mr President . On 11:18.200 --> 11:20.630 behalf of everyone here , we hear your 11:20.640 --> 11:23.609 urgency and we share it , Mr President , 11:23.619 --> 11:25.770 this coalition of some 50 nations of 11:25.780 --> 11:28.900 goodwill stands united and firm . 11:29.619 --> 11:31.859 And today we will push even harder to 11:31.869 --> 11:34.950 step up our support for Ukraine . We're 11:34.960 --> 11:38.169 meeting at a dynamic moment . Ukraine 11:38.179 --> 11:40.450 continues to seize the initiative on 11:40.460 --> 11:43.190 the battlefield and Ukraine's troops 11:43.200 --> 11:45.144 are now conducting an operation in 11:45.144 --> 11:48.159 Russia's Kirk region . The Kremlin's 11:48.169 --> 11:50.119 army of aggression is now on the 11:50.130 --> 11:53.119 defensive on its own turf . 11:54.500 --> 11:56.630 But we know that Putin's malice runs 11:56.640 --> 12:00.210 deep . Moscow continues its offensive 12:00.219 --> 12:02.219 in the east of Ukraine , especially 12:02.219 --> 12:05.179 around Porus and Putin is repositioning 12:05.190 --> 12:08.229 his troops in Kirk and the Kremlin 12:08.239 --> 12:10.950 continues to bombard Ukraine's cities 12:11.340 --> 12:13.719 and to target Ukraine's civilians . 12:14.719 --> 12:18.510 That is an outrage but Ukraine 12:18.520 --> 12:21.849 refuses to bend and Russia has paid a 12:21.859 --> 12:24.460 massive cost for Putin's imperial 12:24.469 --> 12:28.109 fantasies . More than 350,000 12:28.119 --> 12:30.063 Russian troops have been killed or 12:30.063 --> 12:32.330 wounded since Putin launched his all 12:32.340 --> 12:36.330 out invasion . And since February 2022 12:36.669 --> 12:39.679 Ukrainian forces have sunk , destroyed 12:39.690 --> 12:43.359 or damaged 32 Russian naval 12:43.369 --> 12:46.489 vessels . Ukraine has driven all of 12:46.500 --> 12:48.679 Russia's major naval vessels out of 12:48.690 --> 12:52.679 Crimea and push Russia's Black Sea 12:52.690 --> 12:56.119 fleet further east . Last month , 12:56.130 --> 12:58.250 Ukraine sank one of three Russian 12:58.260 --> 13:01.210 ferries in the Kerch Strait in Russian 13:01.229 --> 13:04.669 occupied Crimea and that seriously 13:04.679 --> 13:06.700 reduced Russia's capacity to move 13:06.710 --> 13:10.609 equipment and troops into Ukraine . A 13:10.650 --> 13:12.799 second ferry has been out of action 13:12.809 --> 13:14.809 since Ukraine's attack earlier this 13:14.809 --> 13:18.260 summer . Additionally , Ukraine has 13:18.270 --> 13:22.059 destroyed 97 Russian combat aircraft 13:22.599 --> 13:24.710 since the start of Putin's full scale 13:24.710 --> 13:27.789 invasion . And so over and over , 13:27.799 --> 13:29.577 Ukraine has stood up to Putin's 13:29.577 --> 13:32.309 aggression and atrocities and this 13:32.320 --> 13:35.650 coalition has Ukraine's back 13:36.609 --> 13:38.776 and let me highlight some of the major 13:38.776 --> 13:41.053 recent steps forward in July , Germany , 13:41.053 --> 13:42.942 the Netherlands , Romania and the 13:42.942 --> 13:45.053 United States announced that we would 13:45.053 --> 13:46.887 provide more patriot air defense 13:46.887 --> 13:48.942 batteries and components . And Italy 13:48.942 --> 13:51.165 said that it would deliver another Samp 13:51.165 --> 13:53.489 T system . And Germany recently 13:53.500 --> 13:56.580 delivered another Istist air defense 13:56.590 --> 13:59.520 system and more 155 millimeter 13:59.530 --> 14:02.539 ammunition in Germany , the Netherlands 14:02.549 --> 14:04.510 and Denmark have all provided more 14:04.520 --> 14:07.400 leopard battle tanks . And meanwhile , 14:07.409 --> 14:09.640 the European Union is using frozen 14:09.650 --> 14:13.539 Russian assets to farm to fund arms 14:13.549 --> 14:16.400 purchases for Ukraine , including more 14:16.409 --> 14:19.020 ammunition from the check initiative to 14:19.030 --> 14:22.260 rush more shells to Ukraine . And since 14:22.270 --> 14:24.599 our meeting in June , the United States 14:24.609 --> 14:26.929 has committed more than $4 billion in 14:26.940 --> 14:29.051 new security assistance for Ukraine . 14:29.950 --> 14:32.359 We are laser focused on Ukraine's 14:32.369 --> 14:34.750 priority needs including air defense 14:34.760 --> 14:38.590 fires and armor . This contact group's 14:38.780 --> 14:40.950 init uh innovative and nimble cap 14:40.960 --> 14:43.750 capability . Coalitions continue to , 14:43.880 --> 14:45.869 to help Ukraine fend off Russian 14:45.880 --> 14:48.549 aggression today and deter Russian 14:48.559 --> 14:51.799 aggression tomorrow . And thanks to the 14:51.809 --> 14:53.698 work of the Air Force coalition , 14:54.340 --> 14:56.609 Ukraine has received its first tranche 14:56.619 --> 15:00.390 of F-16 fighters and together with our 15:00.400 --> 15:02.456 National Armament Directors , we are 15:02.456 --> 15:04.622 posturing our industrial bases to meet 15:04.622 --> 15:07.330 Ukraine's needs and sustain them long 15:07.340 --> 15:10.130 into the future . But for its long term 15:10.140 --> 15:12.979 security , Ukraine must continue to 15:12.989 --> 15:15.940 boost its own defense production . And 15:15.950 --> 15:18.117 many contact group members are already 15:18.117 --> 15:20.609 supporting that effort . Just weeks ago , 15:20.619 --> 15:22.675 Denmark committed some of its latest 15:23.330 --> 15:25.950 $115 million security assistance 15:25.960 --> 15:28.880 package to buying arms from Ukraine's 15:28.890 --> 15:31.489 defense industry . And meanwhile , with 15:31.500 --> 15:33.667 help from several European companies , 15:34.010 --> 15:35.899 the United States is working with 15:35.899 --> 15:37.566 Ukraine to design and build a 15:37.566 --> 15:40.650 substitute for the S3 100 surface to 15:40.659 --> 15:44.130 air missile system and the R 27 air to 15:44.140 --> 15:46.570 air missile . The United States has 15:46.580 --> 15:49.239 also allocated more than $200 million 15:49.250 --> 15:52.000 to purchase critical components to let 15:52.010 --> 15:55.289 Ukraine produce the UAVS and , and the 15:55.299 --> 15:58.210 electric electronic warfare systems 15:58.419 --> 16:00.570 that it has deployed so effectively , 16:01.489 --> 16:03.545 our national armaments directors are 16:03.545 --> 16:05.878 working in lockstep with the capability , 16:05.878 --> 16:07.822 coalitions to meet these needs and 16:07.822 --> 16:10.320 speed up deliveries . So I look forward 16:10.330 --> 16:12.163 to discussing ways to strengthen 16:12.163 --> 16:14.770 Ukraine's defense industrial base as 16:14.780 --> 16:18.270 well as our own and friends . This is a 16:18.280 --> 16:21.450 critical moment . Time is of the 16:21.460 --> 16:24.140 essence , especially with winter on its 16:24.150 --> 16:27.400 way and we must all step up our support 16:28.099 --> 16:30.929 and quickly . So I'm pleased to say 16:30.940 --> 16:32.884 that President Biden will announce 16:32.884 --> 16:35.729 today an additional $250 million 16:35.780 --> 16:38.929 security assistance package for Ukraine . 16:39.690 --> 16:41.912 It will surge more capabilities to meet 16:41.912 --> 16:44.270 Ukraine's evolving requirements and we 16:44.280 --> 16:46.502 will deliver them at the speed of war . 16:47.460 --> 16:49.293 Ladies and gentlemen , when this 16:49.293 --> 16:51.460 contact group met in April , President 16:51.460 --> 16:53.127 Zelensky reminded us all that 16:53.127 --> 16:54.989 aggression spreads when it isn't 16:55.000 --> 16:58.789 stopped . And he's right . If tyrants 16:58.799 --> 17:00.632 think that they can invade their 17:00.632 --> 17:02.632 peaceful neighbors , we will all be 17:02.632 --> 17:05.530 less secure . If autocrats conclude 17:05.540 --> 17:07.484 that nations of goodwill will lose 17:07.484 --> 17:10.089 their nerve , will lose our nerve and 17:10.099 --> 17:12.959 abandon our principles , our world will 17:12.969 --> 17:16.790 become far more dangerous . So make no 17:16.800 --> 17:20.739 mistake . If Ukraine is not free , the 17:20.749 --> 17:23.739 world is not safe . But this contact 17:23.750 --> 17:25.972 group gives us , gives us the structure 17:25.972 --> 17:28.139 to keep Ukraine sovereign and secure . 17:28.599 --> 17:31.660 The coalition is built to succeed and 17:31.670 --> 17:34.670 it's built to last President Biden has 17:34.680 --> 17:37.479 said Russia will not prevail in this 17:37.489 --> 17:40.280 conflict . The independent people of 17:40.290 --> 17:43.430 Ukraine will prevail and the United 17:43.439 --> 17:46.079 States and our allies and partners will 17:46.089 --> 17:48.959 continue to stand with them every step 17:48.969 --> 17:52.069 of the way . So , thanks for being here 17:52.709 --> 17:54.820 and with that , we'll pause while our 17:54.820 --> 17:57.042 friends in the media depart . Thank you 17:57.042 --> 17:57.010 very much .