mifepristone. and kathy manning on the supreme court's decision to reject consideration of a case involving mifepristone. join in friday. on c-span. c-span now our free mobile app. or online at >> u.s. defense secretary lloyd austin held a news conference in brussels, belgium. they brief red porters about ukraine's progress and using u.s. weapons. this is about 25 minutes.

>> good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. it is my pleasureo secretary of defense lloyd austin iii and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff general c.q. brown jr. the secretary and chairman will deliver opening remarks and then have time to take a few questions. oderate those questions and call on reporters, i would ask you to limit your followups to give your colleagues a chae to ask their questions. mr. speaker -- mr. secretary, other to you, sir. >> we have just come from a

productive meeting with the ukraine group. this was our 23rd meeting. every time we gather i'm impressed by the resolve of the more than 50 countrs helping to support ukraine's self-defense. the contact group heard directly about the battlefield situation from minister kumerav and his delegation. ukraine's frors holding the line in the face of russia's assault near car keve. ukrainian troops continue to inflict significant cost on the kremlin's invaders. president biden sthiend national security supplemental. we know the assistance is reaching ukraine at a steady pace. last week president biden announced another security package from another drawdown from our stocks. this $225 million package

provides ukraine with more air defense interceptors, armored vehicles, anti-tak weapons, and artillery systems and munitions. and ukraine's partners around the world continue to stand up to putin's aggressions. this coalition remains steadfast and strong. the contact group remines determined to meet ukraine's needs and help ukraine deter russian aggression for decades to come. contact group members continue to step up and to get ukraine what it needs, when it needs it. air defense remains ukraine's top priority. i applaud those who have dug deep to find more air defense systems an intercepts. for example, the netherlands is leading a smart initiative to assemble and deliver a patriot air defense system. another government agreed

contribute many core companies and parts froms from its own stocks and called on ukraine's other friends to help with the rest. meepwhile, sweden recently announced its largest military package for ukraine. it includes 1.55 mill meet artillery shells, missiles an armored vehicles. sweden is also providing airborne early warning and control aircraft which will help ukraine with both airborne and maritime targets. italy announced it will send a second air defense system to ukraine. so our allies are also committing to long-term military aid packages. more and more countries are enshrining these commitments in long-term bilateral agreements with ukraine. i'm pleased that the united states and ukraine will sign their own bilateral security agreement today. together we're working to forge

long-term security for ukraine and i continue to be impressed by the work of the contact group's capability coalitions. today we heard an update from the drone coalition. let the thank latvia and the ukraine for their leadership of the drone coalition. this capability coalition is helping to expand ukraine's asymmetric capabilities. that's especially important as putin relies on iranian u.a.v.'s to target ukrainian cities and civilians. this is just one they have eight capability coalitions. they're doing outstanding work. together we're helping ukraine build a formidable future force, one that can deter russia for the long haul. we remain determined to keep supporting ukraine while ensuring our own military readiness at this challenging moment. that includes a robust defense

industrial base. we spent time today discussing ways to expand the production of critical munitions and systems and to deepen our coordination for the capability coalitions. now, i just want to be clear about why i've convened this group this contact group, 23 times now. putin thinks that he gets to determine which countries are real. and which countries can be wiped off the map. that's incredibly radical. and incredibly dangerous. so let's be clear. putin started this war by invading his peaceful neighbor. a permanent member of the u.n. security council is trying to deny democracy to more than 43 million people. and the kremlin's war of imperial aggression has horrified countries around the world.

ukraine matters to the united states and to the entire world. if ukraine falls under putin's boot, europe would fall under putin's shadow. if putin travels -- tramples ukraine, he would be emboldened to commit more acts of aggression and the world would enter a farmer dangerous stage. so we understand the stakes and the outcome of the war in ukraine will help set the trajectory for global security for decades to come. this contact group will continue to defend ukraine's zo renty in all of our security. so we will continue to stand up to putin's aggression atrocities. we will continue to find new options to get ukraine the air defenses it needs to defend its skies and we will continue to move heaven and earth to get ukraine what it needs to live in freedom. with that, general brown, the

general brown: thank you, mr. secretary. good afternoon, everyone. last week on june 6, i was on the beaches of normandy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the d-day invasion. alongside president biden, secretary austin and other world leaders, we honored some of the last living veterans who fought in world war ii, our greatest generation. on the evening of 6 june, 1944, president franklin d. roosevelt a statement describing those fighting a world awhaism said, they fought not for the loss of conquest, they fight to end conquest. they fight to liberate. they fight to let justice arise and good will among all thy people. d-day showed us the power of cooperation. shows that liberty prevails over aggression when nations come

together for a just cause. now we find ourselves in another crux of history. driving force of this ukraine defense contact group. to come together, united for the cause of ukraine, for the cause of our nations, and for the cause of patriots. i want to thank you for guiding this international coalition. i want to thank defense minister numerov who joined us today for his continued leadership of ukraine's military forces. resented here today, i want to thank them. their contributions to support ukraine's efforts to maintain its sovereignty. russia's war in ukraine tests the very foundation of security on which the war relies. russia's unprovoked aggression challenges the prosperity and peace of all nations. as i have said before, might does not make right but might

does shape outcomes. through this contact group's support of ukraine, we are aligning this world with what is right. russia's unprovoked aggressions have eroded their power and prestige. our unity only grows stronger. even so, russia continue theirs attempts to advance across multiple battle fronts and include their recent assault on kharkiev. ukraine's ability to search firepower and reposition troops has counter russia's offense. ukraine continues to hold strong. with this group's cricks, the ukrainians are exacting a heavy cost on russian aggressions. thatr?'s why our ongoing support is so critical. to sustain ability to defend itself is a present and

long-term effort. this group's work in providing ukraine with the necessary assistance and capabilities has been remarkable. to be effective fighting forces need continued access to military capabilities and supplies. our support combined with the ukrainian will to fight has proven time and time again that you krien will not bend. their fighting spirit is ironclad. will itself is not enough. which is why we remain focused and dedat just last week, as secretary austin mentioned, we announced the 59th drawdown package of military for ukraine. this was just part of an incredible contribution recently made by some 50 nations of this coalition. and an example of how this coalition remains dedicated to supplying ukraine with the tools they need to counter ongoing russian aggression. outside of ukraine's courageous

people and resilient combat force, support from those gathered here today remain theirs greatest asset. these nations are committed to helping ukraine address the challenges ahead. we are stronger when we work together. his sol -- this solidarity is rooted in a shared history of security and fostered by the principles of democracy, sovereignty and international law. for the past few years, these principles have preserved peace among the nations. this contact group united by these ideals stands firm against any challenge. strength and power resides in a cooperative effort of likeminded countries fighting for freedom. unchecked aggression spreads war. it is in these moments as president roosevelt said that praif men and women must fight to end conquest, to liberate and

to let justice arise. the brave service members of the allied nations came together 08 years ago and executed operation overlord knowing that freedom and sovereignty depended on their success. today, peace and curt are not only achieve flud through military readiness of individual nations. they are achieved through collective efforts. we will monitor our abilities. we will defend ukraine and defend democracy. i look forward to your questions. >> first question to politico. laura. repoer thank you, sirs, for doing this. secretary austin, president zelenskyy specifically asked for more air defenses. germany announced an additional patriot, italy announced another one, will the u.s. answer that call and deliver a patriot, and

if you can't answerhe answer is no, what is the heldup? and general, they said there's not enough in the u.s. to give them frveg-16's. are you looking at expanding the training pipeline or will ukraine have enough trained pilots on the planes by the time they arrive. thank you. secretary austin: regarding patriots, air defense has been at the top of my agenda for a long time. and for month after month you've heard me emphasize the importance of providing ukraine additional air defenses. you know we provided a pray pais trot to them already. not only that, me and president biden and jake sullivan and tony blinken spent a great deal of our time encouraging others to

provide additional capabilities. it's not just patriots. it's nasams, it's samtes, it's a number of capabilities that ukraine needs. and they need interceptors to complement the plat forms. i don't have any announcements on patriot batteries today. but what i can tell you is that i continue to work this and i'm in constant contact with my ukrainian counterpart. and we're going to do everything we can to make sure that they have the capability that they need and get it here as quickly as we can. general brown: we have a plan to keep it up and running. we not only provide training for

their pilots, other countries are supporting the training as well there. is capacity for training both in the united states but also with some partners in the coalition. we'll continue to work with them but it's not just the policy, not only of having flown an f-16 but understanding, training the maintainers. we're working to make sure ukraine has what they need and the goal is to get them the f-16's this summer. reporter: hi. just a followup question to my colleague. because we've been reading the press about this new extra patriot system, there's no announcement today. what i would like to ask you, we know u.s. is the biggest holder of patriot systems. what is the reason why you are

holding back? sit operational? is there a reason you can't move from one theater to the other? just for us to understand. and secondly >> secondly for you, general, what is your assessment on your ongoing milita campaign in hard, do ukrainian forces have enough now to resist and possibly regain the initiatives, and do you see other critical risk along the front right now? thank you. secretary austin: again, air defense remains our top priority and we are working this o daily basis. i have seesome of the reporting. what i will tell you is that,chr picture coverage in poland -- our patriot coverage in poland,

there is no change in our patriot coverage today from we will do everything we; can to gt the ukraine what it needs. we will encourage and work with others to get ukraine what it needs and as quickly as we can. and this is not something that the ukrainians are guessing at, i talk with them on a daily basis. general brown: to reference your question regarding her keys, the situation is somewhat more stabilized now than it was over the past several weeks. one of the things the ukrainians have been focused on in the past several months going into 2024 is building out their defensive lines and they have been thoroughly effective of building those defensive lines which is has created a bit of stability. one of the challenges is that the movement by the russians towards kharkiv, it actually pulls away focus and capabilitet their offenses a little bit morebut the ukraine has been vey

good at holding their defensive lines and i think they will be able to continue to do that there in kharkiv as well. >> thank you. next question will go to voice of america. reporter: chairman, first to you, mr. secretary, i would like a question to clarify the u.s. policy. the pentagon has said that ukraine can strike inside russian territory near the border with kharkiv to prevent attacks on the kharkiv attacks n ukrainian forces that aren't in kharkiv from a military base inside russia, can ukraine strike that military target? and if not, why not? and then, mr. chairman, i would like to extend the question that my colleague asked and just more broadly how would you describe the fight now between russia and ukraine? he mentioned ukraine continues to hold strong, but is this still a stalemate? secretary austin: thanks.

as you know requested permission to conduct come to fire in the kharkiv area using u.s. weapons, president biden granted them permission to do that. and so, o policy in using long-range strike capabilities to conduct strikes deep into no. but the ability to conduct condo fire in this close fight in the kharkiv region is what this is all about, and my expectation is the ukrainians will put that to good use. secretary austin: i would share with you, if you go back over the course of this conflict, what the ukrainians have been able general brown: taken by the russians. at the same times of the support of this group to help provide them capability to defend

themselves. i mentioned they have been able to hold defensive lines. but what we don't talk about is the amount of attrition that ukraine's are able to but against the russians although they are outnumbered. the way the russians have lost personnel, but also lost platforms, is pretty traumatic from a numbers standpoint. the ukrainians of done an effective job of holding those lines and they continue to do so. >> we have time for one more question. let's go to reuters. final question here. reporter: secretary, several allies lifted restrictions placed on long-range weapons about two weeks ago. can you tell us what impact that has had on the battlefield so far, have you seen progress? what kind of progress? is it going far enough for you?

secretary austin: i can't speak for allies, what weapons have been used or not used, and what effects that has had. what i can speak to is what i am looking at in the heart region. the intent of allowing them to conduct condo fire was to help address the issue of russians conducting staging -- building staging areas just on the other side of the border and attacking from those staging areas. so they have the ability to engage the russians across the border now. and i will leave it to the ukrainians to talk about the specific effects that they have seen. but what i see is a slowing of the russians' advance, and a stabilizing of that particular piece of the front. now i think we will see

incremental gains and takes going forward, but again,, a couple of weeks ago there was concern that we would see a significant breakthrough on the part of the russians. i don't think we will see that, going forward. i don't see a large exploitation force that could take advantage of a breakthrough. what i do see is, as the chairman has described, the ukrainians have done a lot to tions and they are making good use of the weapons and munitions they are being provided. and more of that will continue to flow in. so in my view, they will get stronger as time progresses. they are also doing things to mobilize more people and train more people. so the combination of those things i think, will have a pretty substantial effect on the

battlefield, but it will take some time to play out. but the good news is we have the meanstinue to provide security assistance, and you will see it continue to flow in in a very meaningful way. men, that because our press briefing. thank you. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy, visit ncicap.org] he knew ahead of the summit, president biden took part in a ceremony with italian prime minister giorgia meloni todz discuss -- from washington, d.c. and across the country. coming up friday morning, the arms control association's guest discussing the state of nuclear weapons in the u.s., and recent comments by a national security council arms-control fi