secretary chollet,congrats first of all on the new addition. you mentioned secretary hagel talked to the ukrainian counter parts. can you tell us what that was about? >> this was the forth defense minister he talked to in the last several months. this is to ensure we have at the highest level a chain of communication at the crisis and so we can hear from them directly about their needs and ways to help them >> are they specifying needs? >> yes and no. ukrainian military wasn't an extroidinary army before this and it has been over significant hardship over the last several weeks given russia's behavior. so the most urgent need they have identified to us have been in the more non-lethal humanitarian spaces. we are working to accommodate those. >> i know there was a request for small arms and ammunition that was turned because and part of that was because we didn't want to do anything to provoke vladimer putin and this was before the vote and an exxation. are we rethinking our willingness to help ukraine from the standpoint of supplying them the s

chollet. on the second panel will hear from julian smith, ian brzezinski and edward chow, although i will introduce late'i russia'sll invasion and illegald annexation of grimy has callednf into question one of the key assumptions and underpinnings of 21st century transatlantic security strategy.ses a russia no longer poses a security threat to the alliance and the main challenge the allies emanate from beyond the euro atlantic region. the winding down of the afghanistan mission has led many to wonder if nato, which has been the cornerstone of transit lannett reliance, would cease to be -- of transatlantic reliance, would cease to be relevant. instead, russia's belligerence may serve to reinvigorate the alliance. nato has stood the test of time. mr. putin has ensured that it will continue to do so. the most immediate security challenge in europe is the presence of tens of thousands of troops amassed on russia's borders with ukraine. it is clear that resident putin plans to -- it isn't clear tha

. >> i will start with you secretary -- you, secretary chollet. i would like you to respond to the three points i made during the opening statement, that now is the time to mount a serious defense in congress as to why we need syria's -- why we need serious troop presence in europe . i voted on a number of amendments to follow out the remaining force -- to hollow out the remaining force in europe. obviously circumstances have changed. as you look at the troop numbers that deployed throughout europe over the course of the decade, understanding that sequestration is still a reality, what is dod's thoughts? noted inairman, as you your opening statement, secretary hagel said a few days ago that what we are looking at .s our troop presence in europe it has gone down significantly over the last two decades. we've got about 57,000 or so troops permanently stationed in europe. the general was tasked just last week to come up with some further reassuring steps we may take with our european partners to help reassure our central and eastern european allies,

. >> secretary chollet, congratulations on the new addition to your family. you mentioned secretary hagel talk to defense officials in ukraine. can you tell me what that conversation was about? >> he's had many conversations in the last several months with his ukrainian counterpart, i should stress counterparts. i think this is the fourth defense minister he has talked to in the past several months. this is to ensure we have, at of highest level, a channel communication throughout this crisis, so we can hear from them directly about their needs and ways we may be able to help. >> are they specifying needs? >> yes and no. they -- ukrainian military is not an extraordinarily capable military before this crisis. been ineen -- it has the field and deployed under quite significant hardship over the recent weeks given russia's behavior. the most urgent need they have n intified to us have bee the more nonlethal, humanitarian and medicalmre's supplies in particular. we are working to accommodate those requests. >> when the prime minister was here, i know he made a r