Ten days from now
is the one year anniversary
when Russia brutally, illegally
and in a completely unprovoked way
invaded the sovereign nation of Ukraine.
As the secretary just pointed out.
Putin thought he could defeat
Ukraine, quickly
fracture of the NATO alliance
and act with impunity.
He was wrong.
Ukraine remains free.
They remain independent.
Naito in this coalition
has never been stronger.
And Russia is now a global pariah.
And the world remains inspired
by Ukrainian bravery and resilience.
In short, Russia has lost.
They've lost strategically,
operationally and tactically,
and they are paying an enormous price
on the battlefield.
But until Putin ends his war of choice,
the international community
will continue to support Ukraine
with the equipment and capability
it needs to defend itself.
Through this group,
we are collectively supporting
Ukraine's ability
to defend its territory,
protect its citizens, and liberate
their occupied areas in the face
of a barbaric Russian invasion.
Ukrainians remain resilient.
The nation of Ukraine is united
for one single purpose
to expel the Russian forces
from their territory
and to defend themselves.
For Ukraine,
this is not a war of aggression.
It is a war of defense
for Russia.
It is a war of aggression.
The Russian military has paid
tremendous costs
in their war of aggression,
and now they have resorted
to sending conscripts and prisoners
to imminent death.
In recent months,
the group
gathered here today
pledged to provide significant
quantities of battlefield capabilities
tanks, air defense and munitions
11 countries have pledged tanks.
22 have pledged
infantry fighting vehicles.
16 pledged artillery and munitions,
and nine more
pledged air defense artillery.
The group is focused
focused on delivering
the capabilities committed
and efficiently, providing the training,
the spare parts, the sustainment
logistics necessary
for the full employment of these systems.
Training, maintaining and sustaining
Ukraine's remains key for Ukraine.
To prevail
throughout this war.
Ukraine has shown
incredible resourcefulness
in how they integrate very capabilities
to adapt
the changing dynamics
of this battlefield.
Ukrainians have combined
unbreakable will with innovative tactics
and empower
their leaders
to liberate their own country.
Russia, on contrast,
is waging a very costly war of attrition,
while Ukraine is effectively
leveraging their asymmetric advantages
in order to defend itself.
And the most important
asymmetric advantage
they have
is courage, resilience
and tactical skill.
This war is extremely dynamic,
and Ukraine today is fighting
while training and evolving
future operations.
Ukraine will integrate recent
commitments of armored vehicles
infantry fighting vehicles
and tanks with fires
to achieve the effect
of synchronized ground maneuver.
While Russia has waged this war
for far too long.
They will not outlast
the Ukrainian people,
nor the group of allies and
partners that met today.
The purpose for the
United States and allies
as said by our political leadership,
is very simple.
It's to uphold the rules
based international order in order
that rejects the idea
that big, strong powerful nations
can attack other smaller countries,
that borders shall not change
just by the use of aggressive
military force.
This is the very underlying
founding principle of the United Nations.
At the end of World War Two,
Ukraine does not stand alone
54 countries met today
to ensure that Ukraine can defend itself
and the principles
that guide international conduct.
And those principles will be upheld.
We will remain a unified coalition.
We will continue to uphold the values
of sovereignty and freedom
and will continue to support Ukraine.
Thank you and I welcome your questions.
Thank you both, gentlemen.
Yutaka Abe,
Secretary Austin,
you said earlier
this is a crucial moment for Ukraine
and that the
allies need to get air defenses
and munitions into Ukraine now.
What are you seeing from Russia
that makes this moment different?
And the NATO's secretary general
has already warned
that Ukraine is burning
through munitions
faster than a rate
that the allies can supply it.
Will you at some point
need to ask Ukraine to do more with less
And then for Chairman Milley,
did one of the missiles
fired at the Lake Huron object, Miss.
And if so, what happened to that missile?
And if so, does that change
your risk calculus for shooting down
objects over U.S. soil?
Are you starting to develop alternatives?
If, if and when
you detect the next object
so in terms of where
we are, thanks to our
terms of where we are in the fight,
what we see,
what we've seen over
the last several months,
is a contested battlefield.
We see a lot of activity in
in the mood area which is where Russia is
is focusing most of its effort.
We see Russia
introducing a number of new troops
to the battlefield.
Many of those troops are ill trained
and in and ill equipped.
And so their casualty rate
has been really high
What Ukraine wants to do in the
you know,
at the first possible moment is to
establish or create
momentum and in
and establish
conditions on the battlefield.
That continue to be in its favor.
And so we expect to see them
conduct an
offensive sometime in the spring.
And because of that,
we are we all the partners in the
in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group
have been working hard
to ensure
that they have the armored capability,
the fires
the sustainment,
to be able to be effective
in creating the effects
on the battlefield
that they want to create.
And so
we believe that there will be
a window of opportunity
for them
to exercise
our initiative and then change
or continue to to
create the right conditions
on the battlefield
or in terms of munitions.
This has been a tough fight throughout.
And we've been.
Ukraine has been at this for a year.
And so they have used
a lot of artillery ammunition.
We're going to do everything
we can working with
our international partners to ensure that
we give them as much
ammunition as quickly as as possible,
and that we'll do everything
we can
to sustain our efforts there as well.
We are working to
with the Ukrainian soldiers
in various places throughout Europe
to emphasize
additional training on maneuver
so that as a place more emphasis on
maneuver
and in shaping the battlefield with fires
and then maneuvering,
there's a good chance
that they'll require less less
artillery munitions.
But that's left to be seen.
So we're going to do everything we can
to make sure that they have
what they need to be successful.
And that's what we continue
to emphasize
here in the Ukrainian
Defense Contact Group.
And and we think
the training will pay
additional dividends as well.
So thank you for it. Floor.
National News Agency of Ukraine. Mr.
Oscar, go to Mr.
Secretary
Was the question of the plane supplies
I mean, combat jet
supplies to Ukraine was discussed or not?
And what kind of security circumstance
this should be created inside Ukraine
to deploy
a new type of aircraft of such kind?
Does it mean that that is possible
after the integrated
air defense system is created?
And to General Milley, if I may.
What is
your risk assessment for supply routes
or for the delivery of Western equipment
and ammunition
to Ukraine
and how it could be made more secured?
Thank you.
So on the issue of aircraft,
I don't have any announcements
to make on aircraft today.
We're going to continue to work
with Ukraine to address
Ukraine's most pressing needs.
Again,
you know, they're contemplating
an offensive in
in the spring,
and that's just weeks away.
And so we have a lot to get done.
So if you think
about the numbers of systems
that we're bringing together,
Bradleys, Strykers,
Martyrs, CB 90 113
artillery.
And the list goes on and on.
It's a monumental task
to bring all those systems together,
get the troops trained
on those platforms,
and make sure we have sustainment
for that,
for all of those systems
and get those systems into the fight.
So that's
that's really the focus of our hour
of our conversation today.
So the metro lines
of communication
in warfare and combat are always subject
to enemy attack.
No, no, different here.
And the lines of communication
that stretched through the western
portions of Ukraine
are subject
to Russian attack, attack
from the air attack
from artillery attack,
from special operations forces, etc.
So the key
to ensure that the supplies get through,
maintain good operational security,
vary your times, don't set patterns.
Take different routes
and make sure you disperse your force
so that you have small penny packets
as opposed to one large, massive convoy.
The security
from the Polish border
or any other border,
Romanian border anywhere,
that security is
part of the security plan
for the Ukrainian armed forces.
They they pick this stuff up
and they do that
and they practice all the good
tactics, techniques and procedures
that I just described.
I would say
it's not without risk, but it's moderate
and it's been successful so
far to get through.
Let's go to Felicia
Schwartz, Financial Times
Thank you.
First for Secretary Austin,
we've heard
from Western officials
that Russia's Air Force is well intact
and that the Russians are preparing
to launch
an air campaign as its land
forces are depleted.
Where is Russia
amassing aircraft ahead of the offensive?
How soon could this begin?
Has this hastened
the need to provide
air defense to Ukraine
and has enough assistance
been provided
so that Ukraine is
ready to defend against it?
And then for Chairman Milley,
Does Russia have the right equipment
to pose
a threat to the Ukrainians
and break through in the Donbass?
And separately,
but relatedly, is Ukraine
going to get enough equipment
and enough time
and have a big enough force
on the ground to be able to have
a serious counteroffensive?
Thanks, Felicia.
In terms of whether or not Russia is
massing its aircraft
for some massive aerial attack,
we don't currently see that.
We do know that Russia has
a substantial number of aircraft
in its inventory
and a lot of capability left.
That's why
we've emphasized that
we need to do everything that we can
to get Ukraine as much air
defense capability as we possibly can.
And recently,
you've seen us
step up and offer patriots.
You've seen other countries come forward
with some tea and in Irish tea,
but it's not enough.
And we're going to keep pushing until we
we get more
because that threat is out there.
But again,
we many countries
have stepped up to the plate thus far.
Our effort
currently is to get these capabilities
into country
as quickly as we can
and then integrate those capabilities
So we have truly
have an integrated air
and missile defense capability.
And I would add that
Ukraine has done a credible job of
of intercepting a lot of the
rockets and missiles that
have been launched by by Russia
in those recent attacks.
But again,
we want to make sure
that they have the ability
to protect themselves
going forward in the event
that Russia tries
to introduce
its Air Force into this fight.
They haven't done
so thus far because
Ukraine's
air defenses
have been pretty strong,
effective, as you know.
So foolish on on
whether or not the Russians
have the capability and equipment, etc.
to continue the attack in the Donbas.
They are attacking in the Donbas
right now.
Their progress is slow.
It's a war of attrition.
They take heavy casualties.
Their leadership and morale is not great.
And they're struggling mightily.
However, they do have numbers.
And as you know,
President Putin
did a call up of
several hundred thousand.
And those folks
have been arriving on the battlefield.
So they do have numbers.
And whether or not
they're successful
in suppressing the fight
That remains to be seen.
But that fight has been going on,
and it's a slow,
grinding battle of attrition in that
in that general area.
For the Ukrainians,
I don't want to project forward
what the Ukrainians may or may not do.
As you know
from this particular conference here,
we are
placing that up
with a significant amount
of capabilities
with ground maneuver, artillery, etc..
What they do with that,
that'll be up to the Ukrainians
in the coming weeks and months.
We have time for one more.
Let's go to Marcus Price.
Early television
Thank you very much.
One question to Secretary Austan
about the stance of the U.S.
when it comes to delivery of fighter jets
and the president Biden said
no to the delivery of F-16.
Also early in the conflict
when Poland offered to deliver MiG
29 via Rammstein to Ukraine.
I think the U.S. stopped it.
Has this position evolved?
Do you encourage countries to do
so if they want to,
or do we assess the risk is too high?
So what is the U.S.
position on other countries
delivering fighter jets
and to Chairman Milley,
the Russian offensive we are seeing?
What do you see so far?
Is this very serious?
Is it different
than what we saw in the past?
And do you have any intelligence
whether we see
and we are going to see
another attempt of the Russian forces
to capture Kiev? Thank you.
Thanks, Marcus, for the record.
With respect to any kind of aircraft
being provided by Poland,
the United States never stopped
Poland from providing anything.
A decision to provide something is
is.
That's the
you know, the
decision made
that there will be a decision
made by the leadership of that country.
That's certainly not
something that we can or will dictate
in terms of
whether or not
we're going to provide F-16s.
As I said earlier,
I don't have any announcements to make
and I don't have anything to add to
what our president said earlier.
So I'll just leave it at that.
And Marcus, on the issue of the
Russian offensive, this
this offensive that you see
ongoing right now
in the generally in the Bachmann area,
you know, from from Kharkiv,
all the way down to Curtis on
the front line is quite stable,
even though very violent
and a lot of fighting.
It's relatively stable.
Most of the dynamic movement back
and forth
is in generally
in the vicinity of buck mode.
The Ukrainians are holding
they're fighting the defense,
the Russians
primarily involved in the group
or attacking parties.
What I would describe it
as is a
really a very significant grinding
battle of attrition
with very high casualties,
especially on the Russian side.
There's no fancy
arts of maneuver going on here.
This is frontal attacks, wave attacks,
lots of artillery
with extremely high levels of casualties.
In that particular area.
And how long that will last
is difficult to say, actually.
It's been going on for weeks,
and I think it'll continue to go on
until the until the either
the Russians culminate.
I don't think the Ukrainians will
just collapse or fall.
I think they're going to continue
to fight.
So that that's a battle worth the
but with that, we're paying attention
to very, very closely
and making sure that the Ukrainians
have the capability to continue to defend
as far as Kyiv.
I'm not going to
what intelligence we have or don't have.
I would just say that right now
there's always a potential threat.
There's clearly air threats,
missile attack threats.
Kyiv is the capital.
And that was a significant
objective early in the war.
So I would never discount
Russian capabilities to attack you.
But right now, we're not seeing
any significant indicators and warnings.