DEFENSE OFFICIAL (STAFF): It's official. Ma'am, if you could introduce yourself, and then they can go around and introduce themselves real quickly and then we can get to business.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Okay, my name's (EDITED). I am the new (EDITED). I've been on the job for three and a half weeks since I was sworn in and confirmed just almost four weeks ago. And it's a privilege, I'm excited. That's good?
Q: Nice to meet you.
Q: Yes, very nice to meet you. I'm Felicia Schwartz. I have you beat a little bit because this is my second day at the FT.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Oh, congrats.
Q: Thank you.
(Crosstalk / Introductions)
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So -- and plus, this is my first backgrounder as (inaudible). You guys -- we should (inaudible).
So the secretary is going to Brussels for a NATO defense ministerial, one that wasn't planned ahead of time. It was called by the secretary general and agreed to by defense ministers because of the crisis, the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Part of the reason for the defense ministerial is to kind of have a signals check, to compare notes on where we are on supporting Ukraine politically and with security assistance, and to begin the work of preparing for the planned defense ministerial in June, and of course the NATO Summit which will be in Madrid at the end of June.
So the focus tomorrow of two sessions, the first one is on the Ukraine crisis. At that –
(crosstalk)
And that session will include NATO, as well as NATO allies, NATO partners, Sweden, Finland, Georgia. And we are anticipating a recorded -- recorded remarks and address by the Ukrainian Minister of Defence Resnikov.
So that will focus on comparing assessment on the crisis, how we see where Russia's military operations, our understanding, what this means not just in the moment but thinking about the implications for the strategic environment and the security environment for the transatlantic alliance going forward, and to compare notes on security assistance.
Security assistance is bilateral. Countries have stepped up. Partners and allies have all stepped up with their own focus on what they think their best position to help Ukraine with. Sometimes that's legal assistance. Sometimes it has been sustainment. There's also of course now a huge need for humanitarian assistance.
But although that is bilateral and individually chosen by nation-states, the NATO member -- allies and partners will have a chance to, sort of, give one another transparency on where their major focus -- foci -- sorry, that's the former professor in me -- foci would lie. So that's the morning session. And then the afternoon session -- if you have any questions about the morning session, I can stop.
Q: No, I was just going to say it's still -- it's still true there's no NATO security assistance rule whatsoever?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: That's right.
Q: So -- yes, okay.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: That's right. It's individual countries.
Q: That's not an option? That's not something you've been talking about.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: No, we're sharing --
Q: Yes.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: -- thoughts about what is effective, and how the Ukrainians are doing and what their needs are, but these are all national decisions from national sides.
Q: Okay, just checking.
Q: Is that, like, the next step if things, like, kick up a notch (inaudible) -- or it would be too escalatory?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I don't -- we don't see the need, because we think individual countries have done a really good job. They've been flexible. They've been very quick to decide what they are able to and think they should be supplying.
We've seen countries like Germany make historic decisions to provide lethal assistance. So there's an awareness of the needs. And then has every country has different capabilities. So no one wants to put everyone in a cookie cutter frame. And it's better if it's a national decision.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So the second session then will be NATO allies --
Q: Thursday, or?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: No, in the afternoon tomorrow.
Q: Okay, okay.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: All tomorrow.
Q: Okay.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: One day at a time. All day tomorrow, it'll be a long day. Make sure to bring your snacks for in between.
So the afternoon session will be a little bit about assessing where NATO's capabilities are now. The movements that have been made to reinforce those enhanced forward presence positions in the Baltic states, to assess the new announcements of what will be battle groups.
We're moving from advanced forward presence to battle groups in some of the other countries on the front lines. And there'll be more, I think, for you on that tomorrow.
And to think about how to resource them, and to coordinate thinking about how to resource them as an alliance, because it's not just multinational capabilities that make NATO strong, the military side. It's the political unity.
And having military forces providing defense and deterrence to those NATO frontline allies shows political unity as well.
That's the, sort of, ‘where are we now’ and ‘what should we do in the short term.’ And then the ministers of defense and secretaries of defense will be discussing how to get ready for decisions at the June ministerial, thinking about longer-term requirements for defense and deterrence, changes in posture, possibly changes in common funding.
NATO common funding is important for the kinds of infrastructure and capabilities that are shared among NATO allies. So those decisions won't be, probably, unless we're incredibly successful -- but they probably won't be arrived at tomorrow. But we'll begin to lay the groundwork to have the work all done for that June defense ministerial.
Q: So on the --
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So that's the plan.
Q: Sorry.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: That's all right.
Q: The NATO Response Force, is that going to be a subject of discussion?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Well, the NATO Response Force is already well resourced. And it will definitely be one of the aspects of NATO capabilities that we'll look at to make sure that it's being used properly, resourced properly.
Q: But it hasn't been deployed? So that's what I'm getting at.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I believe elements -- let me go back and make sure this is true. I believe elements from the NATO Response Force have been activated --
Q: Oh.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: -- but let me get back to you with the specifics.
Q: Okay, okay.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: And I'll --
Q: If you could do that, (yes ?).
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: And I may be wrong, but elements from the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force have been moved or are being moved to some of the frontline --
(CROSSTALK)
Q: Okay, I don't -- I don't --
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: -- eastern flank.
(CROSSTALK)
Q: I may have lost track, that's all.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: No, it's fast moving --
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I think SACEUR put out a statement about a week ago.
Q: Oh, I think I missed that.
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Basically, following the NAC, where he said that he was going to (inaudible).
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes. And we --
Q: (And who?)?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: The SACEUR.
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: General Wolters, as the Supreme Allied Commander.
Q: (Okay, sorry ?).
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: But we can get you the specifics --
Q: Okay.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Make sure we got you exactly the right (inaudible).
Q: Secretary Blinken had mentioned last week about NATO discussing permanent -- more permanent presence of troops. Is that something that's going to come up at this meeting?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: That is in the parameters of what we prepared for the June discussion. There is some idea that that might be what is required. But the details certainly, and commitments, haven't been made yet. But the discussions are beginning now in light of the new strategic and security environment.
Q: More of a basic question, but what's the mood going into this -- going into the meetings tomorrow and on Thursday?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I think the mood is -- for the American delegation, for Americans, and I think for the allies we've spoken to, is a recognition of the change in the strategic environment given Russia's actions.
We've heard the Russian rhetoric. We've seen small-scale Russian military operations for some time. But the scale of the Russian intervention -- invasion, the willingness of the Russian political leadership to make a move like that is something qualitatively different.
And I think the mood is a solemn understanding and recognition that this is not just more of the same. This is a new stage in understanding a challenge to Ukraine's sovereignty, but also the European security architecture and the rules of the international order. And I think that's why you've seen such a responsive and rapid NATO reaction.
Q: Is there an effort on the part of NATO to consider what an off-ramp for Putin might look like at this stage?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: There is a lot of talk about -- there's, even as we're here getting ready for a defense ministerial, a major focus of United States and our allies and partners is diplomacy. So the diplomatic path is something that is actively underway and actively under discussion. Right now, that is a matter for the Russians and the Ukrainians to be speaking to each other, and they are.
But we fully support efforts to find a way to a ceasefire, a resolution that Ukraine -- Ukrainian leadership and the Ukrainian people would support. So that is part of the discussion. I don't think it's necessarily the duty or the lead work of a defense ministerial, but it's certainly part of the larger context in which the discussions will take place.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: ...get good news about diplomacy and the scope of tomorrow's discussions but, you know, it isn't a major focus of what the defense ministers are going to talk about.
Q: Is General Walters going to give a presentation on this -- sort of the landscape of Ukraine?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I'm not aware of specific plans for General Walters to do that. Obviously, Secretary Austin will have the opportunity to touch base with General Walters and get his views and his assessment during his own side meetings tomorrow.
Q: I thought I heard that he canceled or postponed his testimony in D.C.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Me too, I was supposed to testify with him.
Q: Oh -- oh, you were?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: If not, I wouldn't be with you. Yeah, obviously, he needs to be in Brussels for this defense ministerial to support defense ministers as they do their assessments and plan (inaudible).
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Ma’am, did you make it through the full day?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So then in addition the secretary has a number of bilateral meetings with allies. It's still -- the full list is a little bit in motion. But the secretary will be meeting with -- for sure the UK, Italy, Germany, France, Turkey, that's for sure tomorrow.
And then there's more to be nailed down but everyone's dance card is busy. So we're trying to make sure everyone can fit in. So hope there'll be other meetings and asides, of course. But those are the five that are confirmed for tomorrow at this point.
Q: Is that the (EDITED) that’s referred to in the...
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: There will be a group meeting.
Q: A group meeting, OK.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes.
Q: That's the next day or?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: No, that is tomorrow. But we want to call out the allies and not necessarily put a structure on (inaudible). But so, those are the countries that we'll be meeting -- Secretary Austin will be meeting in bilateral (inaudible).
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Maybe we'll get a readout (inaudible) to you all before it goes to...
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Sort of a deep -- deep background (Edited)
(EDITED)
Q: OK. (Inaudible) so that's Thursday?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: No, that's tomorrow.
Q: OK.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Busy day, I told you, bring your snacks, get ready.
Q: Tomorrow is Wednesday?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Tomorrow is Wednesday.
Q: Tomorrow is Wednesday.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yes, that's how I felt the last three weeks and the Pentagon...
Q: If this is more of a diplomatic question just tell me, but Turkey's one of the last places that its air space is still open to Russian flights? I don't know if there's any ask of Turkey to change that?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I don't know of any ask. It's a great question. So I can't speak to why that hasn't been but maybe we can talk about that when I get more information tomorrow.
Q: OK, that would be great.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: OK.
DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So if it's all right, Ma'am, we'll look for opportunities in your schedule throughout the trip to maybe come and just give a preview or maybe a ramp-up of what you've heard throughout the day.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Yeah, and get back to you with some answers of things that you asked that were good questions that I couldn't quite answer. We'll do that (inaudible). All right.
Q: Thank you so much.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: All right -- all right -- all right.
