>> Today the administration
unveiled a new $700 million
package of weapons for Ukraine.
It includes the most advanced
rockets yet to be used in the
conflict with Russia, the high
mobility rocket systems can hit
targets 45 miles away and comes
with increased targeting
capacity.
To discuss this we're joined by
Amanda Sloat, senior adviser to
the president and senior
director for Europe on the
national security council.
Ukraine has been asking for
these for months.
Why are you sending them now?
Amanda: We have been responding
to what Ukraine has been asking
for throughout the crisis.
When the war started in late
February, Ukraine's top
priorities were anti-tank,
anti-armor and antiaircraft
That's what we provided them.
The Ukrainians used those to
great effect to drive Russians
out of Kyiv.
As the battle moved east they
asked for howitzers and
artillery.
We provided now thousands of
rounds of artillery and other
ammunition.
Now they're asking for these
higher caliber, more precision
targeted weapons, as you said so
we are responding to their
request as we have throughout
the crisis.
Nick: Ukrainian officials tell
me they requested this again
many weeks ago.
Russia announced its focus on
the donbas and the east March
25, nearly 10 weeks ago.
Do you feel this is too little,
too late?
Amanda: Absolutely not.
We have seen Ukrainians fight
very effectively with the
weapons we have given them.
Most notingly bli stopping the
Russians from their broad drive
across the country and
succeeding in the battle of
Kyiv.
Once we got the additional
funding from congress which was
provided on a solid, bipartisan
basis, the administration moved
quickly in response to the
Ukrainians' latest request.
Nick: The U.S. Is capping the
range of the ammunition being
provided for these weapons.
Why is that important when
Ukraine has guaranteed,
president zelenskyy himself
guaranteed to president Biden,
that Ukraine will not use the
ammunition to cross the border
and fire into Russia.
>> It is our assessment that
given where the battle is, this
is me most effective system for
the Ukrainians at this stage in
the fight.
LE of we will continue to assess
the situation as we have over
the last number of months.
Based on conversations that the
administration has had with the
Ukrainians and the last number
of days as we have rolled out
the system, the Ukrainians told
us they are satisfied with the
degree of assistance we're
providing them.
Nick: Those assurances the
Ukrainians have provided not to
fire into Russia have come from
multiple levels.
What if the war changes and Kyiv
decides it must use some of
these weapons to attack inside
Russia?
Amanda: I think as the war
continues to evolve we'll
continue to look at the types of
security assistance we are
providing to Ukraine.
But if you look at where the
conflict is now, it is primarily
in the don bas.
It is in the east and south of
the country.
It's important to remember that
Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russia is inside the Ukrainian
territory and so we are
continuing to give Ukraine the
security tools that they need to
defend their country and to
repel Russia from their country
and we believe that the addition
of these weapons to their
arsenal will allow them to do
that more effectively.
Nick: Zoom out with us a little
bit, to what end are these
weapons being provided?
The U.S. Says it will let
Ukraine define victory.
President zelenskyy says he
wants to kick Russia out of all
of Ukraine including territory
it's been occupying for many
years.
Does the U.S. Support Ukraine in
that mission?
Amanda: We have been very clear
from the beginning that we were
going to support Ukraine in
helping them defend their
territory.
This was also what president
Biden said to president Putin
before the war began, that if
Russia invaded Ukraine we would
continue to give the Ukrainians
security assistance above and
beyond what we have done.
As the president made very clear
in the op-ed he published in the
"New York Times" earlier, one of
our overriding objectives in
this conflict remains enabling
Ukraine to be an independent,
sovereign, democratic country.
We're continuing to provide them
with security assistance so they
can defend their country, they
can continue to achieve that aim
and ultimately be in a stronger
position on the battlefield
which will enable them to be in
a stronger position at the
negotiating table when the time
comes.
Nick: That's a little different
than what zelenskyy has been
saying, which is evicting Russia
from territory it currently
occupies.
Amanda: President zelenskyy
himself act knowledge there
needs to be a negotiated end to
the conflict.
We continue to give them the
weapons they need on the
battlefield and support them
when it comes to time for
serious negotiations when Russia
shows it's ready to do so.
Nick: Senior U.S. Official
tonight confirms the sus
considering sending gray droans
to Ukraine.
They can loiter for a while.
They can fire hellfire missiles
at specific targets.
These are sophisticated systems.
Who will operate them and will
there be restrictions on how
they're operated?
Amanda: I don't having any
further to announce in terms of
additional security assistance
we're providing to Ukraine but
it is accurate we ray re-main in
constant contact with the
Ukrainians.
We continue to get their
requests for assistance as the
battle continues to evolve.
And continue to do what we can
as well as in close cooperation
with our international partners
to ensure that they have the
equipment that they need to
fight effectively.
Nick: I've got about 30 seconds
left.
Any concerns that these weapons,
as you say, increasingly
sophisticated weapons to
Ukraine, any concern they might
encourage Ukraine to think that
they could achieve victory on
the battlefield and therefore
they would be less inclined to
negotiate?
Amanda: I think as president
zelenskyy himself acknowledged,
there needs to be a negotiated
end to the conflict.
But thing es involve on the
battlefield.
Our objective is to give Ukraine
the tools to defend themselves
and continuing to support them
when it comes time for