STAFF: Good afternoon, everybody. We’re delighted to welcome Dr. Colin Kahl, the Undersecretary of Protection for Coverage of the Division of Protection. He will stroll us by as we speak’s Presidential Drawdown Authority.
COLIN KAHL: Nice. Effectively, good afternoon. It is nice to affix you all as we speak to announce the most recent navy help authorization to assist Ukraine within the face of Russia’s premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified invasion. First, nonetheless, I might wish to share with you that Secretary Austin spoke with Ukrainian Minister of Protection Reznikov yesterday to debate Ukraine’s navy necessities as combating continues in jap Ukraine.
Secretary Austin highlighted the success of the Ukraine Contact Group held on Could 23 and famous the unity of the Worldwide Group in supporting Ukraine because it repels the Russian invasion. Minister Reznikov expressed his gratitude for U.S. management on this effort, and the 2 leaders outlined priorities for the subsequent in-person Contact Group deliberate for June in Brussels.
And now for as we speak’s announcement. At present, President Biden directed the drawdown of an extra $700 million in weapons and gear from the Division of Protection Inventories.
The capabilities on this package deal embody Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket Methods or HIMARS, and guided munitions with a variety of as much as 70 kilometers, 5 counter artillery radars, two air surveillance radars, 1,000 extra javelins, and 50 command launch items, 6,000 anti-armor weapons 15,000 155-millimeter artillery rounds, 4 MI-17 helicopters, 15 tactical automobiles, and spare components and gear.
These are important capabilities to assist the Ukrainians repel the Russian offensive within the east. One such want is the Excessive Mobility Artillery Rocket System I simply talked about, which responds to Ukraine’s high precedence ask. This technique will present Ukraine with extra precision in focusing on at vary. The Ukrainians have given us assurances that they may use this technique for defensive functions solely.
In anticipation of this potential determination by President Biden, the Division of Protection pre-positioned the HIMARS techniques in Europe to make sure that they are often quickly delivered to the Ukrainians. And put in place a plan in order that we might begin coaching Ukrainian forces instantly, whereas making certain they learn to function the system safely and successfully in addition to to take care of the system.
We are going to proceed to intently seek the advice of with Ukraine and surge extra out there techniques and capabilities in assist of its protection. I’d additionally wish to acknowledge and categorical our appreciation for the robust bipartisan approval in Congress of $40 billion to assist the U.S. response in Ukraine. This extra assist included $8 billion in extra Presidential Drawdown Authority for safety help, $6 billion below DoD’s Ukraine Safety Help Initiative, and $4 billion in State Division international navy financing for Ukraine and nations impacted by the state of affairs in Ukraine.
That is the primary safety help package deal introduced for the reason that extra supplemental was signed by President Biden. America has now dedicated roughly $5.3 billion in safety help to Ukraine for the reason that starting of the Biden administration, together with roughly $4.6 billion for the reason that starting of Russia’s unprovoked invasion on February 24.
At the same time as we proceed to supply very important help, I’d be remiss if I failed to acknowledge and commend our allies and companions from greater than 40 nations who’ve joined us to proceed supporting Ukraine with heavy weapons, munitions, and different very important safety help.
Our assist for Ukraine and that of the worldwide neighborhood stays unwavering. And eventually, I wish to thank our devoted women and men, our service members, civilians and contractors supporting the division’s efforts. From the person bases sourcing U.S. gear to transportation command offering motion assist, to our service members on rotation in assist of our enhanced presence throughout U.S. European Command, to our personal coverage professionals right here on the Pentagon.
The division has come collectively in extraordinary methods to assist this historic effort. With out our Most worthy useful resource, the unending dedication and assist of our workers and contractors, this response wouldn’t have been attainable. And with all that I am glad to take your questions and I feel we’re slated to start out with Ben Fox from AP.
Q: Hello.
DR. KAHL: Hey Ben.
Q: Are you able to speak about what number of and the way rapidly you will get these H-MARS, excuse me HIMARS into the fingers of Ukrainian forces? Clearly, time is of a important essence proper now.
DR. KAHL: So, the preliminary tranche of HIMARS Methods shall be 4. As I mentioned, we have already pre-positioned the techniques in theater in order that we are able to ship them expeditiously. I feel it is necessary to bear in mind although, these aren’t turnkey these, in fact, are techniques that the Ukrainians should be educated on. We predict that’ll take round three weeks.
And they should know not simply how you can use the techniques however in fact how you can preserve the system. So, consider logistics, upkeep, issues like that. So, it will be quite a lot of weeks, till that coaching is full.
STAFF: Barb.
Q: Can I comply with up on a few issues? You talked about that the Ukrainians had dedicated that these weapons can be defensive solely. However you did not say that that they had promised to not strike targets inside Russia, which they could consider is within the protection of their nation. So my first query is, do you’ve a selected dedication that they received’t strike inside Russia?
DR. KAHL: Sure.
Q: And might I comply with up then on, you mentioned that is going to be three weeks at the very least of coaching. Do you are feeling at this level, given the Russian features within the Donbas that the Ukrainians can afford these three weeks? Can – how do you push again towards the features the Russians could make in that point? And the administration is speaking about this package deal by way of placing the Ukrainians in the very best place on the negotiating desk.
Now not listening to speak about they could succeed, in booting the Russians out of Ukraine. Is that this three weeks going to be – delayed that prospect and is that even an affordable prospect?
DR. KAHL: Positive. Effectively, Barbara, as you realize, the battlefield has modified lots within the final three months. So clearly, within the first occasion, the Russians tried to take over your complete nation. They had been defeated within the Battle for Kyiv. They’ve made some progress within the south and now they’re making an attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces within the Donbas.
You are proper, within the final a number of days, the Russians have made some incremental progress in and across the Donbas. They haven’t had a decisive breakthrough. And the Ukrainians are placing up a heck of a battle. And proper now, it is a concentrated artillery duel within the east. It is why we put a lot emphasis on offering 108 M777 howitzers, and a 200,000 rounds of ammunition.
Most of these howitzers are presently within the battle, they usually’re serving to the Ukrainians an incredible deal. So, I feel we’re not seeing the Ukrainian defenses buckle. They’re hanging on, however it’s a grinding battle. And we consider that these extra capabilities will arrive in a timeframe that is related and permit the Ukrainians to very exactly goal the kinds of issues they want for the present battle.
Q: Is three weeks too late?
DR. KAHL: I do not suppose so.
STAFF: David Martin?
Q: Defensive functions, does that imply they can not use the HIMARS to go on the offense and expel the Russians from territory they maintain? And also you mentioned, 4 techniques? What number of rockets for these techniques?
DR. KAHL: So, Ukraine is defending their territory, something they’re doing on the territory of Ukraine is defensive on this context. The formal assurance is that they won’t use these techniques to focus on Russian territory. So simply to make clear on that. Go forward.
Q: Something they do with these weapons on their territory…
DR. KAHL: They’re defending – they’ve the fitting as a sovereign nation to defend their territory. They did not begin this struggle, the Russians did. And the Russians are on the offensive. If the Ukrainians are pushing them again from Ukrainian territory, so for instance, the Ukrainians made a current push into Kherson. In the event that they push again alongside the road of contact within the Donbas, we might think about that defensive.
Q: And the variety of munitions?
Q: Numerous techniques. I am not going to enter the entire variety of munitions. I’d emphasize, nonetheless -so there are 4 techniques, however we’re offering them an preliminary tranche of munitions. It is necessary for them to get educated on the techniques, to get acquainted with the techniques. We shall be ready to quickly surge extra munitions as applicable within the battlefield evolves.
STAFF: Let’s go over to the telephones actual rapidly. Jack Detsch from Overseas Coverage.
Q: Are you able to hear me? Hi there? Hi there? Ukrainians have been asking for the system for about two months now. I am simply curious why the choice took so lengthy on the U.S. facet?
DR. KAHL: Sure, nicely, so the battle is or the present stage of the battle is about three months outdated, and the character of that battle has shifted. And the priorities the Ukrainians have had and what we thought had been most related to allow the Ukrainians to push again has modified over time.
So, within the preliminary section of the battle, particularly because the Ukrainians had been making an attempt to repel the invasion in and round Kyiv, the capital metropolis, which was an existential battle for the center of the nation. We had been actually emphasizing anti-armor techniques just like the Javelin Methods, anti-air techniques like Stingers, but in addition different medium and longer-range air protection techniques alongside our allies and companions.
And that help proved decisive in stymieing the Russian try and take Kyiv. The Russians had been defeated in Kyiv. Because the battle shifted to the east, as I mentioned, it is grow to be an artillery duel. The problem that Ukrainians had is that they relied on Soviet Legacy Methods.
And if there was a sure level through which it turned unattainable for america, even working with our allies and companions, who additionally had Soviet Legacy Tools to resupply the Ukrainians with the artillery techniques and ammunition they had been accustomed to utilizing. Which meant that the precedence was to shift them in the direction of, on this case, 155-millimeter artillery techniques, we have been offering them M777 howitzers.
In order that was because the battle shifted to an artillery duel. The very first thing was to get these howitzers into the battle, and now we’re shifting HIMARS.
Q: You mentioned it was about three weeks to coach, does that embody the complete coaching for sustaining the techniques? Or is that only for working them?
DR. KAHL: The coaching, you realize, it is not all the time the identical Ukrainians who’re being educated to function and preserve. So, you are able to do them each on the identical time. So, it is roughly three weeks to coach them how you can use the system and perhaps a few extra weeks for the maintainers. However that is what we’re speaking about right here.
Q: After which yet one more on using it. It – so is it that the U.S. sees that if Russia is putting out Ukraine from inside Russian territory, that Ukrainians can’t strike again inside Russia? That that is how is that not thought-about defensive?
And if Ukraine does use these weapons in what they see as a defensive method, by putting inside Russia, are there any repercussions for them violating this settlement that they’ve made?
DR. KAHL: It’s true that the Russians are engaged in quite a lot of standoff assaults from Russian territory. So, consider long-range missile techniques or air launch cruise missiles, these kinds of issues. The core of the battle although proper now could be on Ukrainian territory within the east. The techniques that had been offering, the HIMARS, and the guided munitions that associate with them will permit Ukraine to vary any goal they want for that battle inside Ukrainian territory.
These techniques wouldn’t be notably helpful to hit a, you realize, Russian bomber launching an air launch cruise missile, you realize, tons of and tons of of kilometers away anyway. So we predict we’re giving them the aptitude they want for this stage of the battle.
Q: After which any repercussion in the event that they do violate that?
DR. KAHL: They’ve given us their assurances that they don’t seem to be going to make use of these techniques for putting Russian territory. And we belief the Ukrainians will stay as much as these assurances.
STAFF: Fadi.
Q: Thanks for doing this. So, we heard earlier than the U.S. delivered the howitzer, that it will make a distinction within the battlefield. Nevertheless, we have seen the Russians making advances within the Donbas no matter the way you assess these advances. Now we’re speaking about 4 techniques, I consider each can carry six rockets, I feel.
So, how a lot of a distinction do you suppose 4 techniques will make within the battlefield? And particularly with the Russians functionality of really focusing on them? After which on the timeframe of offering these techniques. So, between coaching and upkeep, and fielding, what are we right here? What number of weeks? Thanks.
DR. KAHL: So, on the final query, I am not going to invest past what I’ve already mentioned, which is it’ll take just a few weeks to coach them on how you can use them. And on the identical time, you are coaching a subset of Ukrainians on how you can preserve them. We now have repositioned the techniques in Europe already. So, they need to have the ability to be delivered expeditiously.
However past that, I am not going to enter timing. You realize, look, no system goes to show the struggle, proper? It is a battle of nationwide will, you’ve tens of 1000’s, tons of of 1000’s of males mobilized on either side. It’s a grinding, arduous battle, and it is prone to be a battle we have mentioned many instances it’ll stretch on for a very long time.
Over your complete course of the struggle the Russians haven’t accomplished notably nicely. They’re actually off plan. They’d anticipated, you realize, taking on the nation in a matter of days, on the outset perhaps 30 days. They’re far off plan. So, I might say primarily based on type of the overall expectations for the way the battle can be going, I feel the Ukrainians have accomplished a rare job.
And we have in fact, tried to do our half in in offering them the help they should defend their nation alongside allies and companions. What the HIMARS will permit them to do is to get better standoff. So proper now, the howitzers we offered them have a couple of 30-kilometer vary, the HIMARS have greater than twice that which can permit them even with fewer techniques, better standoff.
And the opposite factor that distinguishes that is a rare quantity of precision. So, this isn’t one thing the place you launch off, you realize, a number of – regardless of it being a a number of launch rocket system, you truly do not wish to launch off a number of rockets at a time. These are precision guided techniques with prolonged vary.
And so, for prime worth targets that can that permit them to maintain a number of the stress off of Ukrainian forces on the entrance, we predict these techniques shall be very helpful.
Q: Thanks. I wish to return to a few stuff you’ve talked about. You mentioned that there will be that preliminary tranche of 4 arriving in nation. When do you anticipate every thing shall be in nation and on the battlefield? if I might begin there?
DR. KAHL: Sure, I feel it is a model of the identical query. So, I we’re transport 4 HIMAR Methods to Ukrainians. They will not initially go into Ukraine, in fact, they must be educated on the techniques. So, I am not going to enter particulars about the place they are going to be, the place the coaching will occur.
The coaching will take a few weeks. Three weeks, we predict to get the Ukrainians educated on how you can function the system. There will be some extra coaching for upkeep. So someday in that timeframe, you can begin speaking about getting the techniques into the battle.
Q: In order that’s roughly a month. A month to what interval? That it’s, or there’s – what number of tranches are there?
DR. KAHL: Effectively, now we have $7.3 billion of extra drawdown authority. So, I feel we have to see this type of as a rolling course of. Because the battle continues to alter, the Ukrainians come to us with their priorities. We make our personal assessments. We’re all the time measuring issues towards what the Ukrainians want our evaluation of the battlefield, but in addition issues just like the affect that it has on our personal armed forces, particularly after we’re drawing issues out of our personal stockpiles.
And so, we predict that as they’re beginning to get educated on the HIMARS Methods we’ll proceed to have the dialog with Ukrainians about what the subsequent tranche of safety help will seem like, and the tranche after that, and the tranche after that. And we’re grateful for Congress for appropriating, you realize, a large sum that can permit us to proceed these tranches at pretty common intervals primarily based on the modifications on the battlefield.
Q: After which I might wish to ask you about coaching. U.S. service members practice on related techniques are educated for months. And I used to be questioning if you happen to might stroll me by how the three week interval was decided? What are the restrictions of that coaching? Does it restrict the power of Ukrainian forces to make use of these techniques at their most capability?
DR. KAHL: Sure, however I feel, initially, we will practice them to the usual that’s required for them to make use of these techniques. I’ll say, the Ukrainians have confirmed time and time once more, to be terribly ingenious, and fast learners.
And so, I feel we have been in a position to velocity issues up within the coaching cycle primarily based on how rapidly the Ukrainians have realized techniques and been in a position to combine them into their actions. And so, a particular coaching course was put collectively particularly for these techniques, and the Ukrainians that shall be educated. And our present evaluation as if it is within the three week-ish vary.
Q: And it is not taking something away from them?
DR. KAHL: I do not – I imply, solely time will inform however I do not suppose so.
STAFF: I am simply going to return to the telephones. Eric Schmitt, from the New York Instances. Eric.
Q: I’ve two questions, one two-part query. One is simply at what stage had been these assurances given by the Ukrainian authorities? Did these go all the best way as much as President Zelensky chatting with President Biden?
And extra broadly, are you able to give us a way of the way you now are calibrating sending these sorts of superior weapons into Ukraine with out the worry of upsetting Russia? Because it has been a relentless concern all through.
DR. KAHL: So, the assurances have been given at a number of ranges of Ukrainian authorities. Secretary Austin has raised these points with Minister Reznikov and their quite a few calls. They’re speaking to one another a few times per week, that has been true for the reason that starting of the battle. However this explicit assurance goes all the best way to the highest of the Ukrainian authorities to incorporate President Zelenskyy.
On escalation, look, we’re conscious of the escalation danger and every thing we’re doing related to this. President Biden has made clear: now we have no intention of coming into direct battle with Russia. We do not have an curiosity within the battle in Ukraine widening to a broader battle or evolving into World Struggle Three.
So, we have been conscious of that, however on the identical time, Russia would not get a veto over what we ship to the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians did not begin this struggle, the Russians did. The Ukrainians did not provoke this struggle. This struggle was unprovoked. The Russians can finish this battle anytime they need. If they’re cautious of escalation, all it takes is one man to say cease.
They usually can do it. So, we’re conscious of the escalation danger, however within the first occasion, we’re targeted on what we predict the Ukrainians want for the present battle.
STAFF: Thanks, Eric. We have time for simply two extra. Tara.
Q: Thanks. Hello, Tara Copp with Protection One. I wish to get again to the escalation query. You realize, with every of those traches and these drawdowns, we have seen extra superior weapon techniques being given to Ukraine. At what level does it grow to be too superior, and also you type of danger working that escalation the place you would possibly provoke Russia?
After which secondly, particularly on the HIMARS, you mentioned the primary 4 are going to Ukraine. What number of techniques do you envision sending to Ukraine? What are the restrictions there?
DR. KAHL: So, on the latter, we’ll simply must see. We’re offering this preliminary tranche that can permit for coaching familiarization, begin to get the techniques within the battle. It should even be, we have to get info too and the Ukrainians too about how helpful they’re and the way they’re getting used on the battlefield.
That’ll give us an evaluation after which an evaluation about what extra techniques or capabilities they may want. When it comes to, you realize, hypothetically what belongings we – or techniques we could present sooner or later and the way we handle escalations. I am not going to get into hypotheticals, I am going to simply say that we’re consistently assessing this.
However we’re not those upsetting Russia and Ukraine just isn’t those upsetting Russia. The Russians engaged on this additional invasion of Ukraine utterly unprovoked primarily based on a set of fabricated, largely fabricated grievances towards the Ukrainians, and a denial that Ukraine even deserves to exist. So, the onus is on Russia to de-escalate.
They will de-escalate anytime they need. We’re conscious that we do not wish to take steps that widen the battle. And so, a number of the assurances that we have requested for within the context of those explicit techniques are conscious of that, of not wanting these techniques for use to assault Russian territory. However the Ukrainians are defending their land, their territory towards an unprovoked aggressor.
They’ve the fitting to defend that land.
Q: Tremendous fast comply with up on the variety of HIMARS. Past the 4, are you able to give us a ballpark sense of the capability of the U.S. has to ship extra techniques?
DR. KAHL: I do not wish to go into an excessive amount of element. We now have a good quantity of capability, we actually have room to develop, however let’s examine how the battlefield evolves.
STAFF: One final query. Nick Schifrin from PBS.
Q: Thanks very a lot. Colin, the Ukrainians as you realize had been asking for the longer-range ammunition. So, what distinction does it make if the ammunition fires 40 miles or 170 miles if the Ukrainians are promising to not hearth to cross the border?
DR. KAHL: We had a bunch of – we had forwards and backwards with them Nick on this. And as we regarded on the targets that they had been trying to have the ability to go after on Ukrainian territory, and still have some extra standoff. We thought that the HIMARS with the with the GMLRS rounds.
These guided long-range rounds with about 70 kilometer vary might service any goal that they wanted exactly. And so, we settled on the HIMARS with the GMLRS spherical as the suitable spherical presently. We do not assess that they want techniques that vary out tons of and tons of of kilometers for the present battle. And in order that’s how we settled on it.
Q: And the zoomed-out query: to what finish are these weapons being offered? Clearly, we have requested variations of those questions and numerous businesses within the final couple of days. However if you happen to do not suppose that HIMARS specifically, are some magic weapons that may all of the sudden evict Russia from occupied Kherson or change the battlefield.
What’s the imaginative and prescient from this constructing on how these more and more fashionable weapons may also help Ukraine both on the battlefield or whether or not a diplomatic venue begins? What’s that imaginative and prescient?
DR. KAHL: Effectively, initially, I feel the President was fairly articulate about that as we speak, in as we speak’s New York Instances OpEd. So, I might encourage you all, even if you happen to’re from a rival media establishment, to learn the learn The New York Instances OpEd as we speak. I am going to simply say this: within the first occasion, the Ukrainians will determine what success seems to be like.
However all of us have a vested curiosity, your complete free world has a vested curiosity in making certain that Ukraine survives as a sovereign territorial democratic nation. That is an assault on Ukraine, however it’s additionally an assault on the rules-based worldwide order. It is necessary {that a} sovereign impartial democratic Ukraine endures. It is necessary that Russia pays a price in extra to the advantages that they understand from this act of aggression.
Not simply because aggression needs to be punished, however as a result of we do not need Vladimir Putin to do that once more. And we do not need different would-be aggressors to attract the lesson that aggression will not be met with important prices. Now, the navy part of that’s a part of it. It’s clearly an important half in enabling Ukraine to defend its sovereign territory and preserve its independence.
Nevertheless it’s not the one factor that we’re doing. There’s clearly an enormous diplomatic effort to isolate Russia diplomatically, to impose crippling financial sanctions, to place in place expertise export controls which can make it very troublesome for Russia to rebuild the navy, it’s quickly attriting on this battle.
So, we’re imposing important prices on Russia, not as a result of now we have animus in the direction of Russia or the Russian folks, however as a result of this was an act of unprovoked aggression, and there needs to be a price for that. However by way of the ultimate finish state, we’ll see. You realize, the Ukrainians are going to find out what success seems to be like and it is our job to allow them to do nicely on the battlefield and to place themselves nicely on the negotiating desk.
STAFF: Thanks, everybody. When you’ve got comply with up questions otherwise you did not get your query answered, the press group is out there to take your questions. Thanks for coming.
