In an Again. Dave has a Ukrainian flag in his office? What's the 51st state?”
Why again? Dave has a Ukrainian flag in his office?
What is country 51? pic.twitter.com/bGnzZcBr9D
-Wesley Hunt (@WesleyHuntTX) February 16, 2024
Trump's former National Security Advisor, General Mike Flynn (USA, Retired), agreed, saying: “@DeptofDefense, Department of Defense spokesperson, that's a great question. What!?”
.@DeptofDefense Spokesman, that's a great question. What!? https://t.co/wBo1OFHraG
– Gen. Mike Flynn (@GenFlynn) February 16, 2024
Austin was speaking from his office in Northern Virginia to a meeting in Brussels of the Ukrainian Defense Contracting Group. Austin was scheduled to attend the meeting in person, but a recent readmission to the hospital due to complications from prostate cancer treatment forced him to change his plans. Austin returned to the Pentagon on Thursday.
The Senate recently passed a bill to give Ukraine $60 billion as part of a $95.3 billion bill that includes funding for Israel and Taiwan. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) blocks a vote on the bill in the House.
Video of Austin's statements:
YouTube text edited slightly for formatting:
“…Good evening everyone. It’s great to see you all again and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to travel to Brussels this week. I look forward to getting this communications team together in person soon. I had planned to be with you in person today in Brussels but I had to get back to Hospital for non-surgical procedures I am doing well and my cancer prognosis remains excellent and I am truly grateful for all the well wishes.
Thank you for working across time zones to join us for the 19th meeting of this Contact Group. As always, I am pleased to have a distinguished delegation from Ukraine headed by Minister Omov Rom. It is great to have you with us again, a step that today has many allies and partners from all over the world with us. This is evidence of the determination and unity of this coalition, and we will not back down.
Ladies and gentlemen, later this month, we will mark two full years since the start of Russia's all-out invasion of its peaceful and democratic neighbor, Ukraine. When Putin launched his unfair and unjustified war of choice, he was betting that Ukraine would collapse. But he couldn't be more wrong. Ukraine fought Putin's invasion with incredible courage and extraordinary skill, and nations of good will around the world rallied to Ukraine's cause. Almost two years later, the countries of this Contact Group remain united in common goal. The Kremlin continues to bet that we will all lose interest in Ukraine and that our support will wax and wane, but I am more determined than ever and I know you are too. This contact group remains firm, courageous and steadfast. Make no mistake, the United States still stands with Ukraine, and America will continue to support its key fight against Putin's imperial aggression.
The Kremlin is sinking deeper into its self-imposed isolation, but this coalition of some fifty countries around the world is here for us to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Our allies and partners continue to bear the burden of our shared security. Nearly two years later, we have continued to send security assistance to the battlefield, and are now building coalitions for Ukraine's long-term security. We remain focused on accountability for the assistance we provide to Ukraine. Today, we will work together to meet Ukraine's near-term requirements, including its urgent need for more artillery munitions, air defense missiles, and what we call coalitions of capabilities that stand up and move and help build the foundations of a Ukrainian state. A future force that will deter and defend against continued Russian aggression. We will continue to tailor our support to Ukraine's short- and long-term security requirements.
So let me thank everyone who is leading the Capacity Alliances. You are undertaking a truly crucial task: building Ukraine's future artillery force and supplying it with sufficient ammunition. This means providing Ukraine with F16s and the infrastructure needed to keep them flying. It means ensuring that Ukraine has an integrated, multi-layered air defense network to protect civilians, cities and the skies. We will continue to use the Alliance's intelligent capabilities framework to adapt to Ukraine's evolving security requirements. Each of these alliances underscores our unity and determination to help Ukraine and confront Russian aggression. We will continue to work together to get what Ukraine needs to hold on to its gains and continue to push back against Russia's illegal occupation in the coming months.
The Kremlin's cruelty is especially evident during another winter of war. Putin's forces are brazenly bombing Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles and Iranian drones, but Ukraine continues to challenge the Kremlin and fight for its sovereign rights. We will continue to dig deep to provide Ukraine with support in the short and long term. The countries of this coalition, including the United States, support Ukraine because it is the right thing to do and because it is in our fundamental national security interest. Putin's indefensible war of aggression poses a massive challenge to security and stability in Europe and beyond. The Kremlin's invasion constitutes a direct attack on the difficult post-war international order, which condemns aggression, defends state sovereignty and supports human rights.
So the outcome of Ukraine's battle against Putin's imperial aggression will help define global security for decades. For principled and conscientious governments, standing aside while Ukraine struggles for its very existence is not an option. Ukraine will not surrender, and we will not surrender either. With that we will pause for a moment while our friends in the media leave and then we will begin our agenda, thank you.
