and that outside pressure.
>> Yes, we will begin them
taking questions shortly, and we
will come back to you when that
happens.
>>> And now, we will go to
Russia when there is another
round of Russian strikes on the
heels of a big announcement from
the western allies that the west
is sending in combat tanks to
help Ukraine, and on the heels
of that the Ukrainian leaders
are calling on the allies to
send in fighter jets as well.
Sam kiley, he is in Kyiv for us,
and what did you hear from
zelenskyy today?
>> He is renewing the pleas for
missiles and jets today, and in
which they need to continue to
prosecute this war to rid their
country of the Russians and
Russians troops, and they know
that from the Russian
perspective if they can be
outlasted by Russia, things are
going to be extremely difficult
for Ukraine.
There is a consensus inside of
the Ukrainian government that
over the next year, they really
do need to get to victory, and
victory from their perspective
is the recapture and not just of
areas that the Russians invaded
and currently holding 11 months
ago, Kate, but the areas called
crimean peninsula, but the areas
that the Russians have seized
with the help of separatists in
2014/2015.
So to do that they need the
strategic weapons.
They are delighted to get the
tactical support in the form of
tanks that the cry meanian
ambassador could number to close
to 300 which is what they are
asking for in terms of tanks,
but they believe that the
unanimity of the donation and
the supply of tanks from nato
and other allies could mean Na
more important strategic weapons
which have been so far denied
from particularly the united
States might be forth coming.
>> Interesting.
Great to have you there, Sam, as
always.
Thank you.
Joining me with more perspective
is mark Esper, the former
secretary of state under former
president trump.
So, tanks are on the way, and
real show of unanimity around
that at this point, and Ukraine
is asking for fighter jets to be
sent, and the German chancellor
said in no uncertain terms that
it is not going to happen, and
at least that is what he is what
he is saying now, and do you
think that the United States and
Germans should send them?
>> Well, it is great that the
United States and allies are
going to be sending the tanks,
and that is what the allies are
going to send for a counter
offensive in the spring or
launching their own counter
offensive with regard to the
jets, absolutely, we should
provide the jets and what
happened to the mig 29s that we
were discussing 20 months ago,
and other leaders have said they
won't get that technology or not
from president Biden, but we
have to lean into this, and they
can win against the Russians and
to do that they need the fixed
wing strike aircraft to help
with the offensive against
Russia, and to push Russia out
of the area of ccrimea.
>> One of this things that you
have talked about is the lead
time requirement, and how the
timing may be tricky to get the
tanks into Ukraine in time when
you are talking about the
offensive and the counter
offensive if you will, and what
about the fighter jets, what is
that is going to look like?
>> Sure, absolutely.
Look, we have been behind the
curve at each step of the way.
Talking about the himars and we
said we wouldn't, and then we
did, and the patriot systems and
now the tangs.
This is going to happen
inevitably, and as such, begin
the training the German, sorry,
the Ukrainian pilots on the
F-16s, and it does not propose
that we will or won't, but in
the decision is made, then the
pilots are ready to go, and
trained up, and the technician,
and the maintenance crews are
prepared as well, and then a
matter to provide the jets and
ready to go within a matter of
weeks.
At this point with regard to the
tanks, it is going to be taking
months to deliver them, and
train on them, and to be prepare
to support them logistically and
so on, and this is insufficient
given the time lines that we are
up against.
>> Yes, the time line is real
for sure, and they have been
talking about that, and that is
why they are begging and
pleading for months and months
now.
>> Right.
>> And I wanted to ask you about
what hadas gold is reporting the
secretary of state is in Israel
and speaking alongside the prime
minister there, and Tony
blinken's mission is to try to
de-escalate, and how tough is
that mission?
>> Well, it is real tough.
You have a government that is
still lingering and the tensions
between the west bank and
Israel, and the broader context
that you did not mention is
Israel and Iran, and we have
word of the attacks that
happened against some type of
Iranian facilities there near is
istanlan and what is happening
within Israel and the broader
regional context.
>> And I want to add in to the
broader context China, and
something that you are very
focused on.
NBC news and the "Washington
post" are both reporting that
the head of the air command
general Mike minohan is saying
that we will be at war with them
within two years.
Do you agree with that?
>> Well, focusing on the issues
with China, and I read part of
the letters there with the
general, and he is trying to
drive a sense of urgency to
accelerate whatever things they
are trying to achieve and it is
very good they are trying to do
that, because it is a broader
sense of urgency that we need,
but in that said, I would not
say that a war with China is
inevitable.
I would want to avoid a war, and
looking at the timelines, and
one that has attention of
everybody is that one, tiwian is
going to change, and we will
have a presidential election,
and a leading candidate for
Progressive position is a pro
Independence position, and
something like that could incite
beijing, and so it is important
to drive the urgency, and I
would applaud him for that, but
it is not inevident to be in
war, and I would want to do
everything to dissuade that, and
I would want to preserve a free
indo pacific.
>> And if China is watching
everything that is playing out
in Ukraine, that you have
suggested is happening, and what
do you believe that XI jinping
is watching so far and the
lesson for China here?
>> Well, several lessons, and in
my view, the fight is the fight
of autocraies and democracies,
and China is the greatest threat
to that.
And I think that what he should
see is that maybe his military
is not as prepared as they think
they are which is true of
Vladimir Putin's, and secondly,
the ability of a skilled and
resolute people with a smaller
economy, and smaller country and
smaller military to defend
themselves against a much bigger
foe and neighbor, and I am glad
that Taiwan is going to defend
themselves, and also that the
west is acting together, and the
west not being Europe and nato,
but many of the partners in