1 00:00:00,019 --> 00:00:02,930 Friends Uh , thank you , Secretary 2 00:00:02,930 --> 00:00:05,309 Healy . Uh , for your leadership both 3 00:00:05,309 --> 00:00:08,109 in hosting and now leading , uh , the 4 00:00:08,109 --> 00:00:11,880 UDCG , this is my first Ukraine defense 5 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:14,060 contact group and I'm honored to join 6 00:00:14,060 --> 00:00:17,389 all of you today . And I appreciate the 7 00:00:17,389 --> 00:00:19,950 opportunity to share President Trump's 8 00:00:19,950 --> 00:00:23,399 approach to the war in Ukraine . We are 9 00:00:23,399 --> 00:00:25,920 at , as you said , Mr . Secretary , a 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,049 critical moment . As the war approaches 11 00:00:29,049 --> 00:00:31,569 its 3rd anniversary , our message is 12 00:00:31,569 --> 00:00:35,090 clear . The bloodshed must stop , 13 00:00:35,380 --> 00:00:37,540 and this war must end . 14 00:00:38,979 --> 00:00:41,201 President Trump has been clear with the 15 00:00:41,201 --> 00:00:43,312 American people and with many of your 16 00:00:43,312 --> 00:00:45,740 leaders that stopping the fighting and 17 00:00:45,740 --> 00:00:48,799 reaching an enduring peace is a top 18 00:00:48,799 --> 00:00:51,930 priority . He intends to end this war 19 00:00:51,930 --> 00:00:54,880 by diplomacy and bringing both Russia 20 00:00:54,880 --> 00:00:58,650 and Ukraine to the table . And the US 21 00:00:58,650 --> 00:01:01,360 Department of Defense will help achieve 22 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,940 this goal . We will only end this 23 00:01:04,940 --> 00:01:07,819 devastating war and establish a durable 24 00:01:07,819 --> 00:01:11,599 peace by coupling allied strength with 25 00:01:11,599 --> 00:01:14,580 a realistic assessment of the 26 00:01:14,580 --> 00:01:17,919 battlefield . We want like you . 27 00:01:18,550 --> 00:01:21,309 A sovereign and prosperous Ukraine . 28 00:01:22,750 --> 00:01:25,330 But we must start by recognizing that 29 00:01:25,330 --> 00:01:28,480 returning to Ukraine's pre 2014 borders 30 00:01:28,930 --> 00:01:32,660 is an unrealistic objective . Chasing 31 00:01:32,660 --> 00:01:35,500 this illusionary goal will only prolong 32 00:01:35,500 --> 00:01:38,559 the war and cause more suffering . A 33 00:01:38,559 --> 00:01:40,830 durable peace for Ukraine must include 34 00:01:40,830 --> 00:01:43,239 robust security guarantees to ensure 35 00:01:43,239 --> 00:01:46,069 that the war will not begin again . 36 00:01:46,980 --> 00:01:50,139 This must not be Minsk 3.0 . 37 00:01:51,519 --> 00:01:54,870 That said , The United States 38 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,470 does not believe that NATO membership 39 00:01:58,470 --> 00:02:01,319 for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a 40 00:02:01,319 --> 00:02:04,629 negotiated settlement . Instead , 41 00:02:04,959 --> 00:02:07,080 any security guarantee must be backed 42 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,479 by capable European and non-European 43 00:02:10,479 --> 00:02:13,750 troops . If these troops are deployed 44 00:02:13,750 --> 00:02:16,083 as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point , 45 00:02:16,083 --> 00:02:18,139 they should be deployed as part of a 46 00:02:18,139 --> 00:02:21,270 non-NATO mission . And they should not 47 00:02:21,270 --> 00:02:25,009 be covered under Article 5 . There also 48 00:02:25,009 --> 00:02:27,289 must be robust international oversight . 49 00:02:27,910 --> 00:02:30,740 Of the line of contact , to be clear , 50 00:02:31,059 --> 00:02:34,139 as part of any security guarantee there 51 00:02:34,139 --> 00:02:36,860 will not be US troops deployed to 52 00:02:36,860 --> 00:02:40,500 Ukraine . To further enable effective 53 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:42,940 diplomacy and drive down energy prices 54 00:02:42,940 --> 00:02:45,339 that fund the Russian war machine . 55 00:02:46,490 --> 00:02:48,657 President Trump is unleashing American 56 00:02:48,657 --> 00:02:50,879 energy production and encouraging other 57 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:53,449 nations to do the same . Lower energy 58 00:02:53,449 --> 00:02:55,770 prices coupled with more effective 59 00:02:55,770 --> 00:02:58,210 enforcement of energy sanctions will 60 00:02:58,210 --> 00:03:00,043 help bring Russia to the table . 61 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:03,967 Safeguarding European security must be 62 00:03:03,967 --> 00:03:06,190 an imperative for European members of 63 00:03:06,190 --> 00:03:09,039 NATO . As part of this , Europe must 64 00:03:09,039 --> 00:03:12,039 provide the overwhelming share of 65 00:03:12,039 --> 00:03:14,240 future lethal and non-lethal aid to 66 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,759 Ukraine . Members of this contact group 67 00:03:18,130 --> 00:03:21,679 must meet the moment . This means 68 00:03:21,679 --> 00:03:23,957 donating more ammunition and equipment , 69 00:03:23,957 --> 00:03:26,110 leveraging comparative advantages , 70 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:28,750 expanding your defense industrial base , 71 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,039 and importantly leveling with your 72 00:03:32,039 --> 00:03:34,910 citizens about the threat facing Europe . 73 00:03:36,289 --> 00:03:38,400 Part of this is speaking frankly with 74 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,511 your people about how this threat can 75 00:03:40,511 --> 00:03:43,770 only be met by spending more on defense . 76 00:03:44,619 --> 00:03:48,570 2% Is not enough . President 77 00:03:48,570 --> 00:03:52,360 Trump has called for 5% . And I agree . 78 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,839 Increasing your commitment to your own 79 00:03:56,839 --> 00:03:58,800 security is a down payment for the 80 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,440 future , a down payment , as you said , 81 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,789 Mr . Secretary , of peace through 82 00:04:04,789 --> 00:04:07,929 strength . We're also here today to 83 00:04:07,929 --> 00:04:11,330 directly and unambiguously express that 84 00:04:11,330 --> 00:04:13,970 stark strategic realities prevent the 85 00:04:13,970 --> 00:04:16,649 United States of America from being 86 00:04:16,649 --> 00:04:19,410 primarily focused on the security of 87 00:04:19,410 --> 00:04:22,100 Europe . The United States faces 88 00:04:22,100 --> 00:04:24,322 consequential threats to our homeland . 89 00:04:24,959 --> 00:04:27,690 We must and we are focusing on security 90 00:04:27,690 --> 00:04:30,640 of our own borders . We also face a 91 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:32,473 pure competitor in the communist 92 00:04:32,473 --> 00:04:35,209 Chinese with the capability and intent 93 00:04:35,209 --> 00:04:37,929 to threaten our homeland and core 94 00:04:37,929 --> 00:04:40,207 national interests in the Indo-Pacific . 95 00:04:40,769 --> 00:04:43,869 The US is prioritizing deterring war 96 00:04:43,869 --> 00:04:46,109 with China in the Pacific , recognizing 97 00:04:46,109 --> 00:04:49,559 the reality of scarcity . And making 98 00:04:49,559 --> 00:04:51,559 the resourcing trade-offs to ensure 99 00:04:51,559 --> 00:04:55,040 deterrence does not fail . Deterrence 100 00:04:55,529 --> 00:04:58,529 cannot fail for all of our sakes . 101 00:04:59,859 --> 00:05:01,959 As the United States prioritizes its 102 00:05:01,959 --> 00:05:04,559 attention to these threats . European 103 00:05:04,559 --> 00:05:07,239 allies must lead from the front . 104 00:05:08,589 --> 00:05:11,589 Together we can establish a division of 105 00:05:11,589 --> 00:05:14,230 labor that maximizes our comparative 106 00:05:14,230 --> 00:05:17,260 advantages in Europe and Pacific , 107 00:05:17,989 --> 00:05:20,890 respectively . In my first weeks as 108 00:05:20,890 --> 00:05:22,946 Secretary of Defense under President 109 00:05:22,946 --> 00:05:24,723 Trump's leadership , we've seen 110 00:05:24,723 --> 00:05:26,834 promising signs that Europe sees this 111 00:05:26,834 --> 00:05:28,946 threat , understands what needs to be 112 00:05:28,946 --> 00:05:31,168 done , and is stepping up to the task . 113 00:05:31,168 --> 00:05:33,390 For example , Sweden recently announced 114 00:05:33,390 --> 00:05:35,501 its largest ever assistance package . 115 00:05:35,501 --> 00:05:37,501 We applaud them for committing $1.2 116 00:05:37,501 --> 00:05:39,668 billion in ammunition and other needed 117 00:05:39,668 --> 00:05:42,959 material . Poland is spending 5% of GDP 118 00:05:42,959 --> 00:05:45,070 on defense already , which is a model 119 00:05:45,190 --> 00:05:47,510 for the continent , and 14 other 120 00:05:47,510 --> 00:05:49,510 countries are co-leading capability 121 00:05:49,510 --> 00:05:51,790 coalitions . These groups are doing 122 00:05:51,790 --> 00:05:53,679 great work to coordinate Europe's 123 00:05:53,679 --> 00:05:55,568 contributions of legal assistance 124 00:05:55,910 --> 00:05:58,510 across 8 key capability areas . 125 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,869 These are first steps . More must still 126 00:06:02,869 --> 00:06:06,140 be done . We ask each of your countries 127 00:06:06,140 --> 00:06:07,751 to step up on fulfilling the 128 00:06:07,751 --> 00:06:11,160 commitments that you have made . And we 129 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,480 challenge your countries and your 130 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:16,720 citizens to double down and recommit 131 00:06:17,059 --> 00:06:18,892 yourselves not only to Ukraine's 132 00:06:18,892 --> 00:06:21,230 immediate security needs . But to 133 00:06:21,230 --> 00:06:24,489 Europe's long-term defense . And 134 00:06:24,489 --> 00:06:28,079 deterrent schools . Our transatlantic 135 00:06:28,079 --> 00:06:30,679 alliance has endured for decades . 136 00:06:31,660 --> 00:06:34,700 And we fully expect That it will be 137 00:06:34,700 --> 00:06:38,429 sustained for generations to come . But 138 00:06:38,429 --> 00:06:41,929 this won't just happen . It will 139 00:06:41,929 --> 00:06:43,929 require our European allies to step 140 00:06:43,929 --> 00:06:46,989 into the arena . And take ownership of 141 00:06:46,989 --> 00:06:49,910 conventional security on the continent . 142 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,750 The United States remains committed to 143 00:06:53,750 --> 00:06:56,769 the NATO alliance . And to the defense 144 00:06:56,769 --> 00:07:00,369 partnership with Europe . Full stop . 145 00:07:01,859 --> 00:07:04,059 But the United States will no longer 146 00:07:04,059 --> 00:07:06,329 tolerate an imbalanced relationship 147 00:07:06,619 --> 00:07:09,059 which encourages which encourages 148 00:07:09,059 --> 00:07:12,369 dependency . Rather , our relationship 149 00:07:12,369 --> 00:07:15,489 will prioritize empowering Europe to 150 00:07:15,489 --> 00:07:19,049 own responsibility for its own security . 151 00:07:20,350 --> 00:07:23,350 Honesty will be our policy going 152 00:07:23,350 --> 00:07:27,279 forward . But only in the spirit 153 00:07:27,279 --> 00:07:30,709 of solidarity . President Trump looks 154 00:07:30,709 --> 00:07:32,910 forward to working together . To 155 00:07:32,910 --> 00:07:34,950 continuing this frank discussion 156 00:07:34,950 --> 00:07:38,130 amongst friends . And to achieve peace 157 00:07:38,130 --> 00:07:41,220 through strength together . Thank you .