first, conflict is not inevitable. there is still time and space for diplomacy. united states in lock step with partners and allies has offered russia a path from crisis and toward greater security. the department of defense will continue to support those diplomatic efforts. second, the united states remains committed to helping ukraine defend itself through security assistance material. since 2014 we have committed more than $2.7 billion in security assistance to ukraine. p that includes more security assistance to ukraine in the past year, $650 million, than at any previous time, and so in december president biden authorized $200 million insistance, which included additional javelins and other
obama administration would provide no lethal aid. trump started with small arms ammunition and anti-tank weapons. but there was no additional provocation from putin. now we have had provocation and i think we should have significantly increased it. we have done some of that, but we have not given them all that they need and some of it they desperately need. we are talking about an air campaign here that putin has in his kick bag and could be very significant, not just supporting ground forces, but taking down strategic targets in and around major cities and infrastructure. they need anti-aircraft missiles. they also need missile defense, and need anti-drone capability. i did not realize we had given them artillery, good news. i believe that after this major provocation that we certainly should have up-gunned our armament. we say we are not going to war to defend ukraine, i understand that, and i respect that
well as the defense secretary that the u.s. role is limited to training in ukraine, at last count, 150 in their training. do we need to ramp that up? are we doing enough on that front, if we are limited indeed to that role at this point. yeah, i think we missed an opportunity when putin put tens of thousands of troops on the border of ukraine back in the spring. i think it was 70, 80, 90,000, something along that, clearly a provocation and intimidation of ukraine, intimidation of nato, and i thought we should have reacted rather strongly to that at the time so he does not repeat that activity. and what am i talking about? yes, increase to trainers to assist the ukraine military. we have national guard there, special operations guys that have been in there. we could have doubled or tripled that kind of capability, and i ve always felt that we are underarming ukraine in terms of what the real shopping list is.
blasted the feds. governor greg abbott says president biden s immigration policies are making america s fentanyl crisis worse and that state and local officials are stepping up to do the federal government s job to keep illegal drugs out of the country. hey, bill. live at the border in texas. good afternoon to you. d.h.s. secretary mayorkas was in laredo, texas earlier today, schedule was not public but the camera crew was able to find him, take a look at the video of him meeting with border patrol agents earlier today. he offered no media availability for fox news, believe me, we got plenty of questions for him. he only took a few questions from one local media outlet, a quick quiz on the river with border patrol. but he met with yuma, arizona border patrol agents earlier this week, that meeting did not go well for him. one agent turned his back on him, according to leaked audio. take a listen.
currently disposed and arrayed throughout ukraine with a high density on the eastern section, and line of contact in the dunbas region. they have other units and maintain artillery, air defense, depots, and they have a highly regarded territorial force and people s militia. their combat capabilities have improved since 2014, when russia annexed illegally crimea. but they need additional help to defend themselves, especially from an invasion force the size that russia is currently massing. if russia chooses to invade ukraine, it will not be cost-free in terms of casualties or other significant effects. there is a small contingent of trainers in ukraine.