You can listen to q a and all of our podcasts on free cspan now app. Cspan is your unfiltered view of government. We are funded by these Television Companies and more including cox. Homework can be hard but squatting in a diner for internet is harder. We are providing students access to affordable internet so homework can just be homework. Cox connect to compete. Cox along with other these these other Television Providers up next, on cspan did it secretary lloyd austin and the chair of the joint chiefs of staff general mark milley speaking at a News Conference in germany. An update on the russian war in ukraine and help u. S. Military is aiding in the fight. They spoke with defense ministers at 50 other countries working with the u. S. To sue work ukraine. To support ukraine. Good afternoon everyone. Thank you for being here today. It is my pleasure to introduce secretary of defense lloyd austin general mark milley. The secretary will deliver opening remarks and we will have time to take a questions. I will moderate those questions and asked that we follow questions due to our schedule today. It means finding new and innovative ways to support Ukrainian Military and people as they defend their country, their lives, and their freedom. Now, it is especially meaningful to be back here at the airbase today. Ram signed is where we first launched this important Contact Group in april. And since the first meeting, the u. S. Has reached our military expenses existence by fourfold. Yesterday, President Biden approved the latest lots of assistance to ukraine. It is valued up to 675 million. And it is thes 20th u. S. Stocks for ukraine since last august. The new package approves one of five millimeter hausers. Artillery ammunition and harm missiles. Home fee and humvs and amulet systems nations around the world have helped stock up as well. Every time we come together to meet ukraines selfdefense needs and every time Contact Group member announces another new Security Assistance package it is another sign of a free worlds enduring support for ukraines ukraine and its refusal to accept russias imperial aggression. I am grateful that we got to hear today from my good friends alexi rester cough ukraines minister of the fit and lieutenant journal will Ukraines Deputy chief for defense. This is deeply meaningful to have them here with us in person. As we and i want to thank my brave ukrainian colleagues for sharing their insights from the battlefield. Ukraines defenders have been putting the military aid that we have been sending them to immediate and effective use. Look at how Ukrainian Forces have been using capabilities like him to 70 rocket systems. In a broader push to reclaim ukraines sovereignty. And ukraine sovereign territory. Russia is responding with a campaign of cruelty. Putting pollutants forces are shelling civilians and i am especially concerned that russia is creating combat conditions around Ukrainian Nuclear plant. That is deeply reckless and could have great consequences. So we will not let up in our support for ukraines defense not today. Not tomorrow. Countries represented here today have shown dissolve to support ukraines bedrock sovereign right to defend itself. They have shown readership in pushing to innovate, integrate, train, and to reduce to meet produce to meet ukraines security needs for the long haul. We had good conversations today about ukraine selfdefense priorities. Right now, it ukraine urgently needs more artillery systems and ammunition and it also needs air defense, Coalition Defense and other critical cables. The u. S. Has stepped up to meet those needs. I am glad that so many of our allies and partners have as well. Beyond that, this contact route coming up with new ways to support ukraine for the road ahead. Many countries continue to dig deep and provide equipment out of their own military stocks. That can be mean purchasing new defense equipment for their trees or purchasing equipment from other countries that they can send to ukraine. Countries in our Contact Group are also meeting efforts on training and that will help ensure ukraine has the capabilities that it need to succeed on the battlefield. Now, and in the weeks and months ahead. I want to thank you kay for establishing a basic training rogue ramp for new ukrainian recruits. Getting more trained professional soldiers into the fight is especially key as russia sends more and more untrained soldiers into battle. And i want to thank our eastern flank allies namely poland, the check public, and slovakia the Czech Republic and slovakia for helping with defense needs. Their aroundtheclock efforts to manufacture new items are key to ukraines success. We will move even faster and push even harder. I am proud to announce in the next few we in coordination with nato, the u. S. Will host a special session of the offices of this Contact Group to bring together our they will discuss how to equip ukraines forces with the capabilities they need. We will have more on this topic and the details of the session soon. As a reflection of something that is central to this we are working together to arm and trained ukraine on the current fight. And we are also working together to help ukraine develop sustainable forces to defend itself and deter aggression over the longterm. Ukraine is fighting for its life. It is fighting for it sovereign territory and democracy and freedom. But the state is far beyond the front lines they reach us all. Members of this Contact Group are not just helping defend crane, we are helping to defend the rules based that emerged after the horrors of world war ii. For the past 70 years, that has made the world more stable and free and prosperous. So the u. S. Will continue to stand with ukraine today and tomorrow. And along with our allies and partners, we will increase and we will Work Together to help ukraine build up its strength and its lasting ability to defend itself. Thank you, and we now turn it over to the general. Chair milley thank you and on behalf of the ministers of defense today i want to publicly thank this Contact Group would not exist without the energy initiative. This is our fifth meeting and it has been consequential to the results that ukraine has achieved. We have had, today, i think it is around 50 countries represented here in this particular Contact Group. Thank you for that. And i also want to thank publicly thank ukraines minister of defense and the chief of defense, my counterpart who i talk with very frequently several times a week in close coordination on their needs and requirements as we go forward. More than six months have passed since russia launched an illegal invasion in a free country in ukraine that has been free and independent since 1991 1921. In the past six months, ukrainians have withstood brutal assaults in major urban areas throughout their country. They have sustained countless bit missile strikes and they have the brutal cost of tens of thousands of casualties. Those killed and wounded. Many civilians have perished. Including indiscriminate russian attacks. Almost 15 million refugees and internally displaced persons. Significant infrastructure in ukraine has been damaged. Ukrainian people have suffered. Tremendously. And yes, they remain free, independent, and a sovereign country. Ukraine remains strong and free. Because of the bravery of their people, the competence of their military, and the support of the international community. The group of countries that gather here today remain committed to ukraine, to the people of ukraine for their desire to live free. And free of russian occupation. Free of russian violence. The final work in this Contact Group is truly extraordinary. The russian invasion challenge shatters International Norms that we talked about. And the rule of war and law. The understanding that the powerful cannot attack the week. And as a community, not the countries of just europe but around the globe understand that and russias unprovoked invasion endedorders and so the world responds. Ukrainians continue to employ the Security Assistance that they have provided effective will. The russians have achieved minor tactical success in various parts of eastern ukraine, but, so far russias objectives have been defeated. The war is not over. But so far, russias strategic objectives have been feeble. That is due to their values and due to the bravery of the Ukrainian Military. The bravery of the ukrainian people and the support of the countries that were in the Contact Group today. They have adjusted their strategy but so have the ukrainians, it is a war. There is give and take an action and reaction and counteraction but despite being outgunned and outmanned, ukrainians have demonstrated tactical efficiency. And they demonstrated a will to fight fight for their own country, fight for their freedom. As assistance flows into the country, we observed the ukrainians effective systems and provided them with command and control and achieve desired effects. We see this playing out today with ukrainian recent operations. Let me give you a brief battlefield update. As you know, the russias attack in the beginning of february. These think in terms of the 24th of february until april the russias tried to capture key of kyiv into the boss and potentially have an attack in odessa and those attacks failed. They did not seize the capital or toppled the government they did not seize odessa. So the beginning of april, russias adjusted their workplan and they consolidated forces in the east in order to attack an seas. Boss and hold edessa odessa at risk. They have been defeated in that. Their operational objectives in that offense were not successful. They have not achieved all of don boss and they have onlys cross the river in the south. Their operational aims in addition to their strategic aims have been defeated by a successful defense conducted by ukraine. At the beginning of this month, in september 1, you claim ukraine launched an offensive in order to seize the operational initiative. The defensive is ongoing. It is in its early stages. It is too early to give a full assessment, but, today ukraine is using fires to shape ground maneuver as they continue their defense in the south. We are talking about the area north of the river in the vicinity of carrots on. I will be happy to answer any questions anyone may have on that when we get to q a. The discussions from todays meetings are not just about support for the current fight, but equally important is the longterm. As of today, as you know, we, the u. S. Transferred 16 thousands of give alert rounds. Hundreds of thousands of artillery 155 ammunition along with artillery twos. Thousands of take and antiaircraft weapons. Harm missiles have been transferred to the ukrainians to help them out, in addition to that, small arms and nonny nonlethal equipment. The u. S. Has provided half a million rounds of 155 artillery as an example. The u. S. Made a significant commitment and so have other countries. All the countries are providing according to the need and ukraine is being well supplied with all the systems needed to defend themselves. We are seeing real and measurable gains from ukraine in the use of these systems. For example, ukrainians have struck over 400 targets with the high bars and had a devastating effect. Russia lines of communication have been severely strained. It is having a direct impact on russian ability to sustain combat power. Russia command control headquarters have been disrupted and they are having great difficulty resupplying their forces and replacing their combat losses. The war is not over, russia is a big country. And they have serious ambitions with respect to ukraine. So sustainment of ukraine for a fight for their spot will be necessary. Moving forward, id of the secretary at all the members of the Contact Group will Work Together in the future, with our counterparts to continue to provide ukraine with what they need to continued their quest for freedom. The nature of war is often unpredictable, but we are committed shoulder to shoulder with ukraine to ensure they remain a free, independent, and sovereign country. Thank you and i look forward to your questions. Thank you mr. Secretary and chairman. Our first question mr. Secretary comment your administration has indicated they will go back to congress for additional funding for ukraines war needs. And some expressed skepticism about their ability to pass additional funding. Can you explain to the american taxpayers why congress should approve additional funding for military aid to ukraine given that the domestic economy is still in a precarious situation and for the, you mentioned the counteroffensive, would you describe the progress that ukraine has made in the south as being modest or slower than expected . How would you describe it and are you concerned that that they might be overstretched in their capabilities . Thank you. As you know, what weve seen, in terms of support from congress to this point is broad bipartisan support. Based upon the interest in the support weve seen, i fully expect we will continue to receive broad, bipartisan support. Our leaders recognize how important this is. How important it is that we continue to help ukraine have the ability to protect its sovereign territory. So clearly, as we ask for resources, theres an expectation that we are able to lay out the rationale for those requests and we will certainly do that. But what i say is, what we are seeing from ukraine, there is far, and this was highlighted in a straightforward way, ukrainians have put to good use the equipment that we provided them and we see those effects of the battlefield as we speak. The high bars are one example but there are other examples as well. Ukrainians have inflicted a significant damage to the russian supply lines and ammunition supply points and command and control as they continue to shake the battlefield to be able to maneuver to retake some of their territory. So i think we will continue to see support and i appreciate that there is a expectation that we will lay out rationale for them. Further question of progress in the self in the south, it is a little early to make a full and wholesome assessment but the ukrainians are making a deliberate attack. They set conditions for fires and for accomplishing the ground objectives they set out. I do not want to go over specific objectives of this week it is too early. But i would characterize it as a deliberate offense of operation that is calibrated to set conditions and objectives. And we think at this point, that the progress comment you made mentioned the words moderate or we say steady. And secondly overstretched, no i dont, this battlefield from kharkiv all the way down is a significant line of trace if you will, it is 521 kilometers of border ukraine has to protect. And kilometers are theres a little less then that as you go from kharkiv down. And theres fighting along that front. One of the areas you mentioned, the counter defense in our key that is being launched by ukraine, they have been fighting back and forth for the entire time but i do not think that they are overstretched per se, but there is a flight of bits and defense all the way from kharkiv down secured is on. Down. They will continue the fight. That got the forces to do it. For our second question, we will go to the ard. My question, is there a shift in the aid of ukraine contact move from initially enabling ukraine to defend itself to now supporting ukraines efforts in regaining conquered territories is that question for me . Ok great. So is the chairman described earlier, we have seen a shift in the dying in the dynamics in the battlefield over time. It started in the east and russias the russians are tacking on multiple axes a serious battle unfolded around to around key and ukrainians won that battle. The fight shifted down to don boss and it turned into a struggle. And artillery struggle and it was defined and shaped by longrange artillery systems. As ukrainians have acquired additional capabilities in terms of high bars and hard harm missiles and those types of things not just from us but from our allies as well, they began to change the dynamics on the battlefield. They are exercising some initiative. We remain focused throughout on helping ukraine defend its sovereign territory. We remain focused on that. As they prosecute this fight, they intend to take back some of the territory that russia has occupied in the south. And in the east. That is their focus. We will continue to support their efforts to defend their sovereign territory and protect their sovereignty. In essence, our goals have not changed, but we remain focused on the dynamics of the fight and what is needed to be successful in the fight. We tried to stay one or two steps ahead. Our next question will go to jonathan. Thank you. Mr. Secretary, in your remarks today you mentioned you would like to bring together the Contact Group member nations would you explain what that would entail and whether this coordination has comments about increasing emissions production and for industries of the 50 contact nations . I think all of our partners and allies are part of the Contact Group. And they remain focused on ensuring that they have what is required in their stocks to defend their interest. But at the same time, they are aiming to contribute in a meaningful way to ukraine, not just what now, but going into the future as well. So, we all believe that working together we can better streamline things and we can shorten acquisition times and perhaps work on supply chain issues and learn from each other. We can increase interoperability making sure that if i have a 155 pallets are and i am from one country and the rounds from another 155 reserve can be used in that particular weapon as well. So interoperability is important not only in terms of ukraine effort but it is also important for nato requirements. Theres a number of things we can do to Work Together and share lessons and streamline processes. And shorten acquisition times where possible. So i think there is broad agreement that this is a scenario that we can work on together and improve our ability to provide capability to ukraine, not just for now, but for the foreseeable future as well. We have time for one more question we go to crystal hess. Thank you my question is for the secretary of defense ukraine recently asked for highly armed battle tanks like the german tank what are the reasons in this meeting that that was the topic and why dont you answer positively to that request . I am sorry kristin, i did not hear the first part of the question. The ukraine was asking for tanks and specially heavily armed battle tanks to be delivered from germany, but today, what were the reasons for that . We see ukraine rightfully requesting help for Armored Vehicles throughout the conflict. And a lot of help has been provided, we have seen countries throughout the entire region move forward and provide tanks and armored personnel carriers to ukraine. The u. S. Has provided a number of armored personnel carriers armored inulin says. In lapse as you know armored ambulances. And it continues to be a work in progress but the entire team remains focused on this and have stepped up to do their part along the way as well. Thank you very much, everybody, we appreciate it. [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2022] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] here is a look at whats coming up live on cspan today. At 2 p. M. Eastern, treasury secretary janet yellen will speak about the biden administrations economic agenda in michigan. At 7 p. M. 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