Giving you a front row seat to democracy. National security advisor Jake Sullivan was at tuesdays White House Briefing to address the resignation of hades Prime Minister. A 2 billion mayor terry loan to poland in 300 Million Dollars of weapons and equipment to help ukraine in its fight against russia. President bidens meeting with the polish prime and president at the white house was also discussed. As well as President Bidens support for a bill that bans i beg your indulgence because i have a number of things i want to say at the outset before i open it up to your questions. Outset. , i want to start with and as you saw, secretary blinken who was there playing a Critical Role in jamaica and had support mission to haiti and humanitarian assistance and we urge others to do what they can toy in support of the Haitian National police. There is a lot of work ahead and there are positive steps to elth and stabilize their country and determine their future. As you know, President Biden looks forward to a joint meeting at the white house. He has twice traveled to wausau in 2022 and 2023 and he had repay the hospitality and the leaders of poland. They will also discuss our shared suphrt in face of russias brutal war on aggression. Poland has provided assistance to ukraine and logistics role for u. S. Allies and partners to supply ukrne with the tools that it needs to defend ukraine against this russian imperial war. The polish peopletheir doors ton ukranian refugees. Polands leadership has demonstrated that once again in a very live and almost way that putins invasion has produced the exact opposite effect. Today, poland is spending 4 anr just when they thought he would weaken. Cutting Edge Capability to defend if and interoperability and contributing to american jobs. The leaders will discuss the u. S. Polish partnership and relationship between our countries and enduring importance of democratic i want to provide an update about ukraine. For two years with the coalition of 50 partners led by the unitee have remained unflinching. They have retaken half the territory that they have occupied and have not taken large swaths and two a row and degraded black sea fleet but they need our support and need it ukranian troops are fighting bravely but they are now forced to under pressure or multiple fronts and seeing the effects on the battlefield. When russian trips advance they did not have on enough and costing us and so today on behalf of President Biden emergency package of 300 billion of weapons to address ukraines pressing needs. This is possible because of unanticipated cost savings that d. O. D. Sent to ukraine. When we sent ukraine weapons last year, we negotiated contracts to replenish those weapons. We budgeted the full amount of appropriated funds. It turns out we negotiated well. Those contracts came in under budget. So we have a modest amount of funding available put a fine point on it we make these new Security Assistance available right now w impacting u. S. Military ready ready this isness. In emergency includes trench of and it is assistance that ukraine needs to hold the line and to push back against the continuing onslaught in the east and other parts of ukraine. It will keep ukraines gun firing for a short period and nowhere near enough and will not prevent ukraine from running out ofal initiation. This package does not displace and should not delay the critical need to pass the National Security security pill pill. We have said in the Briefing Room and President Biden has said in the state of the union last week we cannot provide assistance without impacting our military readiness. That remains the case despite this cost savings that we are putting to use. Congress must act. The house of representatives must pass the bipartisan National Security supplemental as soon as possible. ■■d up for a vote it would pass just as it did in the senate and no other way around us. The house has to pass the supplemental to allow us to continue to flow vital Security Assistance to ukraine to replenish the munitions stocks to invest in our Industrial Base and increase jobs across the 40 states. The world is watching and we need to do this as rapidly as possible to get ukraine what it needs in its hour of need and tay is another step we took at the president s direction and with that im happy to take your questions. Reporter if israel moves forward with rafah having contin place to ensure what you believer is ad quat safety for civilians, is there a condition atlanta on further aid . They are based on uninformed speculation im not go to go comment on hypotheticals. The president has been clear on rafah and a military operation in rafah that does not protect civilians and cuts off humanitarian assistance and places enormous on israelegypt border. We are talking with the israelis and not stand at this podium and entertain hypotheticals on it. Ey that work was going into rafah and crossing a red line. What would the Biden Administration if it does come to fruition . I would just note having been around a little while you are obsessed with the red line. The president didnt make any declarations, announcements, the red line was responding to that question and gave a full answer to it and worth goi back and and it and i have nothing to add. As i said to your earlier question and im not going to get into hypotheticals. We made clear our concerns about going into rafah an separation would put enormous civilians at risk and not seen and that is the position that the United States and we have been principled it and we are engaged and not going to engage in that reporter do you have a red line. Would invasion of rafah that you have asked not to do the answer is the red line. You stopped conveniently after a single sentence [indiscernible] if you read the full answer because i think he put it in his words the way he wants to communicate his issue and i want to point out that the whole issue of the red line is something that you guys like and become a National Security parlor game and he is the policy and where israel is able to sustain a campaign in a way that leads to an outcome that the people of israel are secure and hamas is crushed and longterm to stability of peace. There is a path to do that and doesnt where there are 1. 3 Million People to deal with the population. We have not seen what that plan is. Reporter you mentioned the conversation. Do you expect that the u. S. Will make p [indiscernible] just take a step back and look at the incredible array of has deployed in poland and combat headquarters and elements of brigades and the largest of forces on ground at any time and that is in response to the elevated threat of russias invasion nato allies including poland. We are looking at enhanced u. S. Presence in poland and countries neighboring poland and capabiliti needed, he has demonstrated to flow forces rapidly in the days leading up to the that could be land, air or sea. The president looks forward and believes we are postured well and our capacity in terms of boots on the ground and the plans that we have in place to defend poland should it come to that are strong and he has sent a clear message which he is backing up that every inch will be the question of Additional Nuclear plants, we have had conversations. I dont have any and we look to with. Ening Nuclear Cooperation reporter on tiktok, the president said [indiscernible] can you outline what those concerns are. First, i want to be clear about what this bill is all about because people are throwing around the words tiktok ban and the object of the bill is the question of ownership. Do we want tiktok as a platform to be owned by an American Company or china or childrens data, adult data staying here in america or going to china. That is the fundamental issue and the president is clear where he stands on that fundamental issue. And in terms of how that gets implemented, that is something we stayed in touch and there has been an overwhelming bipartisan vote in the committee and well come to the floor and see what happens in the house and im not going to get ahead of that. Reporter what the president said about the red line, president netanyahu said he would press ahead with the invasion of ray ha. Is the president losing faith . Lets take a step back, the president from3 the very first day that this crisis began and this began with a vicious assault, 1200 people and causing the most deaths for the and thed israel will never be alone and first ever american president in wartime to israel to say i have had israels back and backed that up with words and not just providing in israels security against hamas and hezbollah but a broader steps top keep this war spinning out the president is going to speak speak out when he has concerns about the level of protection for innocent civilians in gaza and will make his views known. Prime minister netanyahu is the leader and make determinations of what he is going to do. At the end of the day, the president laidut his views about rafah and clear about them and not just publicly but privately, we intend to communicate directly with the Israeli Government with the president and Prime Minister. We belthe president has the capacity to engage his israeli counterparts and rafah is one element to that and other elements of that as well. So far, the real issue is what happens on the ground not so much what happens reporter they haventn on the phone for nearly a month, why is that . We talk to the israeli ambassador in my office, two hours ago. There are plenty of channels of communication and second, whenever the president feels he needs to speak to the Prime Minister, he speaks with him. Undoubtedly i will speak with him and if you prefer not to have public i would prefer not to take any questions on israel[ and hamas. Reporter any plans for the president to speak to the families . The president has met with chens father and he has had the opportunity to sit with them. And i had the opportunity to be with ruby six times. This hits hard for us, this news. And i cant imagine what the family is going through and i know theut out a statement on it, that wont be the end of it because he invested and trying to bring all of those held hostage in gaza home and elsewhere around the world and that he was killed on october 7, it hits hard. Reporter in that will realm, another dead, what does it say about the fate of the others . More hope, less hope thaot be f . We have been straight from the start and cant tell you the condition of the■2they are stil, whether they are in decent health, whether their injuries are causing grave concern. All we can do is work every day to generate a deal that gets all of the hostages home and for us, the american hostages home. We are working around the clock and the president s single day r an update and we are not going to rett and i will reiterate, we cant know until we get confirmation by someone getting out or the terrible news we got from itay and we will be straight with thepeople every s. Reporter can you respond to the call from senator sanders and democrats about stopping providing weapons to israel until humanitarian aid is getting intofirst, we share the goal of getting humanitarian aid into gaza. The president made that in the state of the union speech last week. We are taking steps in the air drops that are ongoing, we just had our seventh airdrop today. We are working with israelis to increase the throughput of humanitarian assistance on the ground through a new crossing where the first tracks got in last night and we need to see more red that came from. Second, we have been clear all along that the policy today has not evolved the steps you are talking about. We also have said we will not engage in hypotheticals. The reports that describe what the president is thkiation. Reporter one of the things they say is that the restrictions are in violation of humanitarian aid corridor act. Do you agree with that assessment that it is a violation of the humanitarian aid corridor act, and have you had a h the ambassador or any officials about that potentially being a violation of that act first, we believe we are complying with s. Law in act we have taken in will continue to do so. Second, the president signed a National Security memorandum, 20, which speaks to both compliance with the International Humanitarian law in the conduct of military operations, and not to unduly or arbitrarily restrict humanitarian assistance from going in. It is very much a priority over of his. We will make sure everything we do complies with our law but also with the policy the president has set out in the provision of humanitarian assistance. Reporter does the package you are announcing today for ukraine include and can you give us an update on the office talks and the potential for a temporaryuncements on you fou on that today. When it comes to the issue of hostage talks, one of the things t from the coverage is that what were talking about in the first phase is women, elderly and wounded civilians. Those who would like to see a ceasefire in gaza, a ceasefire is avail today. For six weeks to be built on, for women, wounded and elderly. The fact that they will not do so, says a lot to me about hamass regard for innocent palestinian civilians. The fact that they are holding onto those folks and refusing to release them and refusing to step up and say that we could get the ceasefire in■ not onlym to the fighting, but would also create enormous opportunity to flow■9 more significant quantities, because the problem has not just been getting tracks into gaza,ta because it is difficult to move them in light of all the fighting. We have also encouraged israel to stay at the table, stay engaged, because we believe there is still scope for this deal to get done notwithstanding the fact that we have entered the ramadan period. Bill burns was just out in the region actively pushing on this in qatar and egypt. Secretary blinken is deeply engaged in this. I am, and the president himself has been making phone calls to regional leaders trying to move this along. We will stay at it. We are determined to generate a ceasefire for at least six weeks with the hostages coming out and then tryg but cant maks about where this will lie. I will just say that as we press, particularly on our friends from israel to do their part to help deliver the ceasefire, it isnt, and other voices around the world to oppress hamas to step up and do their part to release innocent wo, wounded and elderly hostages as the first step, and then we could move from there. Reporter isnt the position of the u. S. Govnmato ally, is a dictatorship . Mr. Sullivan i know why youre are asking the question. Will not speak on behalf of the biden campaign. You should direct those questions to the campaign. What i will say as the Biden Administration is that we have concerns about hungarys assault on Democratic Institutions, including the judiciary, hcorrn of democracy in hungary from the leadership there. It is something we have been deeply concerned about, and peoplelo on this podium have stood and talked about. I have heard your concerns voiced before, and i know you dont want to comment on the Campaign Reporter , but typically a Foreign Policy statement on that management would be. Without talking about this campaign specifically, is it the position of the u. S. Officially that hungary under liquor or barn, is a dictatorship . Mr. Sullivan you should direct that question to the campaign. You reporter did not answer my question. Mr. Sullivan our position is that hungary has engaged in an assault Democratic Institutions and is of grave concern to us and we think it should be a great concern to you as well. Reporter one on gaza and another on haiti. There is a breaking report from the region that says hamas reportedly agreed to a modified u. S. Initiative for a ceasefire and the gradual return of diseased persons in the gaza strip. Have you heard anything about that . Mr. Sullivan i have not. If it is an offer from hamas to start releasing prisoners as part of the ceasefire deal, that would be welcome news. It isnt something i have heard yet, but as i said before, we have been encouraging both sides, and encouraging the world to putre hamas. I will look into that report. Reporter quickly on haiti, did the u. S. Wait too long it its support of praise■y minister Prime Minister ariel henry, even he has been accused of being involved in the plot to assassinate president juvenile bo haiti should be made by the haitian people. That is why we supported the conference in jamaica that was not dictated by us. It is not for us to make the call on who leads haiti, it is for the haitian people to make that call and we have been proud to support the effort that was undertaken yesterday. We hope it will move forward. Seeing what Prime Minister henry did, not because of the u. S. Dictat, we think it takes into account the best interests of haiti and the haitian people. Reporter we have seen a level of escalation at the border between israel and hezbollah and there was a missile fired by mistake by applying passing by, and israeli rain. What are you doing to accelerate , not to let this get out of hand entered see an expansion in the■ region . Mr. Sullivan it is something we have been focused on since the start of the conflict ever would like to sean end to the crossborder attacks between hezbollah and israel. But lets recall how this all started. It started with firing on israel in solidarity with hamas. Orward here, of course, would be for hezbollah to stop firing on israel. Secondly, we need to work on a longterm solution to this consistent with past agreements and consistent with the principle that the people who have been displaced from theirsd that there not be a future enduring Security Threat on that border. Thats what ware working towards with both sides. We are trying to do that as effectively as we can as quietly as we can because we believe that this requires thedelegate l aviv and beirut. That is the work that is ongoing as we speak. Reporter following up on hungary. The president of the United States said viktor orban is a dictatorship. The former ambassador is someone to say that it was an does the president regret that a statement or does he stand by that statement . And what do you say about the hungary Prime Minister who says the pridmr. Sullivan of coursee president stands by his statement. All i am saying is that our position is consistent with everything have said and is documented and is the exact opposite of the lie. Reporter giving back to haiti, there are reports geithner is thinking about taking back its stabilizing force. A wonder what the United States plans to do to address the power vacuum in haiti, and is there a contingency plan for it if kenya does, in fact, start back step back . Mr. Sullivan we have had constructive positions with the canyons, we support their effort to plan for an operationalized missionitional partners. In fact in the last few days, partners have said they are willing to participate in this. We hope it can go forward effectively, but at the end of the day the question you are posing is best directed to nairobi rather than at this rhodium. But the level and depth of the engagement we have had with kenya been do you think the latest aid shipment is going to last . Weeks, months . Mr. Sullivan may be just a couple of weeks. Its not going to be for a long time. That is where we so urgently need them to act on the supplemental. Reporter meeting the president is having to do with his polish counterparts, on friday, bolins foreign minister said that nato military personnel are already present in ukraine. Can you clarify that, can you quantify that please . Mr. Sullivan sorry, who said that . Reporter s foreign minister. Mr. Sullivan i am not sure what he is referring to. U. S. Will not have boots on the ground in ukraine and we dont intend to do so. Not sure what he is referring to. Reporter how Many Americans were dual citizens and are believed to have been held hostage currently in gaza . Mr. Sullivan we believe that number is five. It was six. We believe it is now 5. Reporter can you say when the weapons and equipment will get to ukraine, how quick of a turnaround this will be, and does the white house and to submit more cost savings like this that could result in another aid package in the near future . Mr. Sullivan as mfriends at the dod like to remind me, we cant plan on cost savings. We cant plan on any future drawdowns being available on the basis of cost savings. So we are not anticipating that, its not built into what we are looking for. We didnt plan this one, regarded, in part, because we got it, in part, because we had budgeted around for 1. 55, we managed to negotiate a contract at 93, examples like that. So its not part of our current planni tnter get this kind of ct savings. Week have done that fast, we have proved that we have built a logistical pipeline and backbone to be able to do that. It will move very quickly. Reporter do you have a long. O foig experience, do you think bearhugging netanyahu and his openly racist government, supplying them with weapons that are killing 70 of women and children, was it successful . Do you believe american National Security now is at risk, as we heard someone say yesterday at congress, because of the war and how it was conducted . Mr. Sullivan what i didnt hear at all in your question was anything about hamas who conducted a grievous attack on october 7 reporter with respect, i am asking you here. I am asking a question here as the National Security advisor. Mr. Sullivan but what has been the purpose of our policy since october 7 . A fundamental part our policy since october 7 has been to help israel defend itself against a group that authored the worst massre of the jewish people since the holocaust, and had its leaders go out after that and say, we will do october 7 again and again until israel no longer exists. From our perspective, is ahead of right and obligation to take action against hamas. Hamas created a set of burdens on israels military operations that are nearly unprecedented by hiding among the civilian populati and that made it more difficult for israel to conduct its military operations. It didnt take away israels responsibility to take every possible step to protect innocent people and far too many innocent people including women and children, died. The president spoke to this, i thought, quite well on thursday night. Every one of those deathss a agwe have said israel has to do more when it comes to the protection of civilians and we have spoken today at some length about rafah. But i do feel it is important to continue to ensure that this conversation, this story of it e brought into the picture and not just some. That doesnt mean paying attention to the suffering of innocent people. Not just their vulnerability to the military actions of israel, but also their vulnerability to the lack of food, watermedicine. These are things that we work on aroundtheclock. These are things i personally stay awake at night about, so i care about this very much. But i also care about making sure that our partner and ally, israel, isnt facing in the future the kind of threat it faced on october 7. Our country and any country in this circumstance would take action against terros ident hasg the beginning of this conflict both that we need to support israel in its efforts to go after hamas, and that israel needs to do so in a way that protects innocent civilians. He has spoken about his concerns abouttection of innocent civilians with sincerity and authority and i think he saw that in full display at the state of the union. April. Reporter back on haiti, can you quantify that support and humanitarian a you were just talking about, and also, with all the movement going on, the secr with the caribbean leaders and african leaders, et cetera, what realistically do you expect for haiti by the end of the year . Mr. Sullivan i hate to make predictions about what will happen in the United States by the end of the year, so it is very difficult to make predictions about what will happen in haiti. Let me start with the easier question, which is the quantifying of assistance. It is 300 million now, the sum total, further multitity suppor3 million in a new additional announcement on humanitarian assistance. Anving toward, is a Transitional Council that can pave the way to elections and the restoration of calm on the streets of haiti. And then, a new government that can, and ang this multiNational Security sport mission, enable security, and then build from there. That is what we are driving towards. Can i confidently predict will happen . I cannot. Do we have a contingency plan against other scenarios . We do. I think what happened to me yesterday is a good step towards that and we just have to keep wo jamie dupree posting about an effort started by democrats to sign a dischge petion which is intended to force the house vote on the Senate Passed a bill for ukraine, israel, and twan. This would require the signature of 218 lawmakers the bite house mike johns refusal to bring the legislation up for a vote. Julie circuit quotess urging des to sign the petition as a ent of perspective that ly way forward is the bipartisan, comprehensive saying that it deserves an up or down vot cspans craigaplan points out that republican representative brian fitzpatrk pennsylvania has also filed the discharge petition on several legislation that includes border secured he provisions. The Senate Passed its 95 billion aid package last month by a vote of 7029 with 22 republicans voting in favor. Next, a meeting with President Biden and the president and Prime Minister of poland. They met following news of a 2 billion dollar Loan Agreement between the u. S. And poland for military modernization. Nato members to spend more on defense and they shared their commitment to thcu