Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III virtually hosts the 7th Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting from Washington, D.C., with representatives from more than 50 countries and organizations.
Army Gen. Mark A, Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, attended with Austin. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov also attended.
The virtual meeting came the day after reports of an explosion in Poland near its border with Ukraine. “We will continue to work closely with our ally, Poland, and others to gather more information,” Austin said during introductory remarks. “And we’ll continue to consult closely with our NATO allies and our valued partners.”
The invasion has been a tragedy for the Ukrainian people, and it has been disastrous for Russia. The Russian military has been launching barrages of missiles at Ukrainian cities seeking to knock out critical infrastructure and sap the will of the people.
“Russia is facing setback after setback on the battlefield,” Austin said. “And Russia is putting Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure in its gun sights. Both of these things only deepen the resolve of this contact group, and they only intensify Ukraine’s determination.”
The secretary said the Ukrainian people have not broken in the face of the attacks and said they “have responded with the magnificent defiance that the world now knows so well.”
The Russians hoped for a quick victory when they invaded Ukraine in February. They lost the battle of Kyiv. The Russians tried to take Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv and ended up being pushed back by a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The Russians succeeded in taking the regional capital of Kherson in the southern part of the country, and that city was liberated by Ukrainian troops last week.
“Kherson was the only regional capital that Russia managed to temporarily occupy, and the dramatic scenes of Ukrainian forces liberating Kherson further galvanized the international community,” Austin said. “Neither shear force nor sham annexation attempts can defeat the determination of Ukrainian people to live in a free and sovereign country.”
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group has been instrumental in delivering the military capabilities the Ukrainians need to turn back the Russians. Contact group members are also helping train Ukrainian service members in the use of these capabilities, and many nations are now looking at ways to help Ukraine defend itself in the long term.
“We’re going to maintain our momentum throughout the winter so that Ukraine can continue to consolidate gains and seize the initiative on the battlefield,” the secretary said. “Ukrainian troops are fighting with even greater tenacity and determination.”
Austin said the newly arrived National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System — NASAM — is helping Ukraine knock down the threats of Russian aircraft, missiles and drones.
Since the last contact group meeting, the United States has announced another Ukraine security assistance initiative package of $400 million. Last week, there was an additional $400 million in presidential drawdown authority. The assistance initiative looks to longer range spending, while the drawdown authority allows the United States to deliver systems quickly.
All told, the United States has pledged $18.6 billion to support Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
And the United States is not the only country providing support. “Since our last contact group, seven countries have either delivered critical air defense systems to Ukraine or committed to sending them,” Austin said. “That will save the lives of innocent Ukrainian men, women and children and help Ukrainian armed forces defend their skies.”
Another outgrowth of the contact group is the United States, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic working together to modernize 90 T-72-B tanks for Ukraine.
Austin said the contact group will build on previous discussions and meetings. “We’ll discuss how we can best train and prepare the Ukrainian armed forces to defend their country,” he said.
The nations will discuss the efforts needed to “ensure that Ukraine can continue to consolidate its gains and keep up its momentum on the battlefield even throughout the winter,” Austin said.
Ukraine Contact Group Is Key to Helping Ukraine’s Defense
Nov. 16, 2022 |
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III convened the seventh Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting today, telling the assembled international partners that their efforts have made a difference in helping the Ukrainian military fight the Russian invaders.
Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at the Seventh Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered)
Nov. 16, 2022
Good morning, everyone. It’s great to see you all at our seventh meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group.
And I’ll join Secretary Wallander in thanking my good friend, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov, for his exceptional leadership, and for joining us again today.
Let me also welcome Ukraine’s Deputy Chief of Defense, Lieutenant General Moisiuk.
It’s great to have you with us. Your presentations are vital for our common understanding of the battlefield and Ukraine’s most critical needs.
And it’s also great to be back with this group of outstanding allies and friends. You have been stalwart in your support of Ukraine’s inalienable right to defend itself from Russian aggression.
Once again, Russia has been launching missiles against Ukraine’s cities and Ukraine’s civilians. And yesterday we saw reports of deadly explosions in Poland—one explosion in Poland—near its border with Ukraine.
We will continue to work closely with our ally Poland and others to gather more information. And we’ll continue to consult closely with our NATO allies and our valued partners.
What we do know is the context in which this is unfolding.
Russia is facing setback after setback on the battlefield, and Russia is putting Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure in its gunsights.
Both of those things only deepen the resolve of this Contact Group. And they only intensify Ukraine’s determination.
The Kremlin may hope that more bombardment will break the resolve of the Ukrainian people. But ordinary Ukrainian citizens have responded with the magnificent defiance that the world now knows so well.
And we’re seeing Ukraine succeed in battle after battle to defend itself—in Kyiv, Kharkhiv, and now Kherson.
You know, Kherson was the only regional capital that Russia managed to temporarily occupy. And the dramatic scenes of Ukrainian forces liberating Kherson have further galvanized the international community.
Neither sheer force nor sham annexation attempts can defeat the determination of the Ukrainian people to live in a free and sovereign country.
And this Contact Group will continue to show our unified support for Ukraine’s self-defense.
We’re going to maintain our momentum throughout the winter so that Ukraine can continue to consolidate gains and seize the initiative on the battlefield.
Ukrainian troops are fighting with even greater tenacity and determination. And thanks to the many Contact Group members who have committed new donations, Ukraine’s defenders are fighting with even more key capabilities.
And to showcase how important these donations are, our NASAMS air defense systems are now operational. And they have had a 100 percent success rate in interrupting Russian missiles as the Kremlin continues its ruthless bombardment of Ukraine, including yesterday’s attacks.
While Russia continues to ruthlessly target Ukraine’s civilians and energy infrastructure, nations of goodwill continue to stand behind Ukraine. And Russia’s cruelty only strengthens our resolve.
As President Biden has made clear, the United States will support Ukraine for as long as it takes.
That’s why we announced another Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative package of $400 million this month. And just last week, we announced an additional $400 million in equipment through Presidential Drawdown Authority.
And that brings U.S. security assistance to a total of $18.6 billion since the start of Russia’s all-out invasion.
Both of these packages will provide much-needed capabilities for the near-term fight—and for the long-term sustainment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
That just underscores the role of this Contact Group—as a crucial forum to continue coordinating our enduring support with other nations of goodwill.
For example, since our last Contact Group, seven countries have either delivered critical air-defense systems to Ukraine or committed to sending them. That will save the lives of innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children—and help the Ukrainian Armed Forces defend their skies.
Meanwhile, the United States, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic are working together to provide 90 overhauled T-72B tanks to Ukraine. And 45 of those tanks were part of our recent USAI package.
Let me thank both Minister Ollongren and Minister Cernochova and their staffs for getting this done.
This effort to fund and execute an industrial program on Ukraine’s behalf is a direct result of our close cooperation through the Contact Group. And our meetings are a chance to think creatively and further increase our support for Ukraine.
The last time we met, we spoke about our efforts to train Ukraine’s Armed Forces, and about the importance of accountability for the equipment that we are providing. We also discussed key industrial-base initiatives in light of the National Armaments Directors’ meeting under the auspices of this Contact Group.
And so today, we’ll build on those vital conversations. And we’ll discuss how we can best train and prepare the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend their country. Collective and individual training efforts will help ensure that Ukraine can continue to consolidate its gains and keep up its momentum on the battlefield, even throughout the winter.
I’m also looking forward to hearing from Ministers about industrial-base initiatives stemming from the National Armaments Directors’ working groups. And these efforts will help us to more effectively source, produce, and procure key capabilities for Ukraine’s self-defense.
These conversations will be even more crucial as Ukraine enters a hard winter.
We must do more to meet Ukraine’s urgent air-defense needs, which can help protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and provide heat for its children.
So today we’ve got a big agenda, and I look forward to making good progress.
We’re inspired by the resilience of the Ukrainian people. And we’re inspired by the unity of this Contact Group.
You have all shown enduring resolve—both to help Ukraine fight for its freedom and to defend the rules-based international order that keeps us all secure.
Thank you again for your commitment to this cause.
And so now we’ll pause for just a minute while our friends in the media depart, and then we’ll hear from our Ukrainian colleagues.