 Good morning, everyone, and thanks for joining us for the 16th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. It's great to see everyone this morning. Let me say just a few words first about the terrible tragedy that Israel is now enduring. The full horror of the attacks by Hamas continues to become more clear and more appalling. The United States stands firmly with Israel as it defends itself and its citizens from this vile Hamas terrorist assault. We will stay in close contact with our Israeli partners and ensure that they have what they need to protect their country. As President Biden has made clear, no other party hostile to Israel should try to exploit these despicable attacks. Like any other country, Israel has a bedrock right to defend itself from terrorism and aggression. And our support for Israel's security will remain ironclad, especially in this hour of atrocity and challenge. Now, let me turn to today's agenda. By gathering this Contact Group again, we remind the world of our shared commitment to support Ukraine today and for the long haul. Let me start by thanking President Zelensky for joining us today. Mr. President, it's an honor to have you here. And you can see firsthand the scope and the determination of the coalition that has done so much to help Ukraine's fight for freedom. Let me also thank Minister Umarov and the rest of the Ukrainian delegation for joining us today. I'm delighted to be here with our new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q. Brown. Welcome to your first Ukraine Defense Contact Group, General. It's great to have you here with us. Now this coalition continues to make history with our unity and our steadfast support for Ukraine. So make no mistake, the United States will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And today I look forward to working together to do even more to get Ukraine's brave defenders what they need at this crucial moment. We're here to deliver what it takes for as long as it takes so that Ukraine can live in freedom. So today we'll discuss Ukraine's immediate requirements as it fights back against Russia's flagrant aggression. And we'll hear from Minister Umarov and his team who will update us on Ukraine's current counteroffensive. Ukraine is making steady progress forward and it continues to liberate key terrain from the dug-in Russian invaders. This is a hard, dangerous fight and we salute the incredibly brave Ukrainians risking their lives to drive back Putin's army of aggression. In the current battle, only underscores the importance of the life-saving security assistance from everyone here that has kept Ukraine in the fight. So as winter approaches, our task in this contact group is to fold. We must continue to rush Ukraine what it needs to meet its current challenges, even as we continue to develop Ukraine's combat capabilities to ward off future dangers. So we're here to dig deep to meet Ukraine's most urgent needs, especially for air defense and ammunition. I look forward to hearing about the new support packages that many countries here are preparing. And I'm proud that the United States will announce its latest security assistance package for Ukraine, valued at $200 million. It includes AIM-9 munitions for a new air defense system that we will soon deliver to Ukraine, as well as artillery and rocket ammunition, precision aerial munitions, anti-tank weapons and equipment to counter Russian drones. That puts America's total commitment at some $43.9 billion since the start of Putin's war. And I'm proud that this coalition of some 50 nations of goodwill from around the world has rallied to commit more than $33 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. In fact, more than a dozen of our allies have committed more to Ukraine than the United States as a percentage of their GDP. Now, we're also here to discuss how to balance our immediate support to defend Ukraine with our longer-term assistance. The next step forward in our long-term vision will be working with our fellow contact group members to organize what we're calling capability coalitions. These coalitions will be responsible for coordinating contributions from coalition members for each major capability area. We've already organized highly effective coalitions focused on Leopard tanks and F-16 training, which have marshaled resources from multiple countries. But now we're taking this concept a bit further. We're asking countries to organize coalitions focused on wider capabilities beyond just specific platforms. Just as this contact group surges capabilities to support Ukraine's immediate needs, we will also organize ourselves to coordinate our investments in Ukraine's future force. Now we all know better than to underestimate the degree of Putin's malice and frustration. And we saw that again last week with the horrifying Russian missile strike in the Kharkiv region that killed dozens of Ukrainian citizens. We should be ready for the Kremlin to again bombard Ukraine this winter with cruise missiles and drones. We should expect Putin's forces to cruelly and deliberately put Ukraine's cities, civilians, and critical infrastructure in their gun sites. And by turning civilians into targets, Putin hopes to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people and plunge them into bitter cold and darkness. But he will fail. And we all know it. Putin hoped to demoralize the Ukrainian people. Instead, he demoralized the Russian military. Putin hoped to isolate Ukraine. Instead, he isolated Russia. And Putin hoped to fool the whole world. Instead, he couldn't even fool his own mercenaries. So this war of aggression, in this war of aggression, nobody should assume that time is on the Kremlin's side. We stand together today determined to ensure that Ukraine has the support that it needs for another winter of war. Unity will remain for the beating – will remain the beating heart of this coalition. The Kremlin never predicted our strength in our unity of purpose. And the Kremlin certainly did not bargain on our continued resolve nearly 20 months into Russia's needless and reckless war of choice. So I'm inspired again, looking at all the countries around this table, even while Putin has left pleading for support from Iran and North Korea. We stand together. Putin stands alone. And everyone here understands the stakes and why Ukraine's fight to defend itself matters. Ukraine matters because Putin's war of choice is a vast and urgent threat to security in Europe. Ukraine matters because Russian aggression clearly challenges our NATO allies. Ukraine matters because Russian atrocities against civilians offend our shared values and threaten the rule of law. Ukraine matters because Russian attacks on Ukrainian grain are deliberately inflicting hunger and suffering on innocent people around the world. And Ukraine matters because if great powers can invade their peaceful and democratic neighbors with impunity, it will claw away the rules-based order that has made the world so much safer since the end of World War II. That is what has brought us together again. As I've said before, I continue to firmly believe that our support for the forces of freedom in Ukraine will hold fast in any season or any storm. So thanks again for being here. And now, for the first time in person at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, let me give the floor to President Zelensky. Mr. President, welcome again. We're delighted to have you here. Thank you so much. Thank you so much, Mr. Minister Olsen. Thank you for your support and leadership. It indeed feels like a true warrior is leading the Ramstein team. Thank you so much. Dear ministers, dear generals, I'm grateful to each of you for your tireless work and for the strong joint decisions you have made for us, for all our people. Thank you so much. Come around. This is the first time you are participating in a Ramstein meeting. And I think it is very symbolic, given your military background, that a combat pilot and an F-16 pilot. And I'm sure that together we will do many good things to defend freedom. Yes, Mr. Secretary General, and I thank you for your faith in Ukraine, for your confidence that Ukraine will be among the allies in NATO. Ladies and gentlemen, next Monday we'll mark the 600th day of our resistance to Russia's full-scale aggression against our people, against Ukraine. And today no one can say for sure how many more days we will have to defend our independence and to defend our identity. But we can already say several things which are, I think, important. First, Putin will not achieve Ukraine. Second, Russia cannot afford a new arms race. And so democracy can win this battle. And it is necessary not only for our country but for every nation, for the whole world. Our time is not the time for the slavery of nations. You all know that Moscow's ambitions have never been limited to Ukraine, and we all want these ambitions to be defeated in Ukraine as soon as possible. And this is the best opportunity so that we don't have to look for shells and supply tanks to other countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, that the Russian dictator may try to turn into ruins or seize into his crazy empire or zone of influence. And I know that NATO is ready and capable of protecting its members from external aggression. And may we never have to experience this in reality. And I know what steps can protect Europe and the world from the spread of Russian aggression. And I know what is needed to speed up the just end of this war. Let me emphasize a just end, full protection of our sovereignty, full restoration of our territorial integrity, full guarantee of Ukraine's security after this aggression. And we are now in a special situation on the front line, you know, and in a situation where it is important to prove pressure. And without any pauses, it's very important. Without any pauses, you will understand the principles of effective defense. And it is the defense that does not leave the enemy a chance to rest, recover, choose any other tactics. Russia has lost the initiative for today, and we are putting pressure on it. We are. It is Ukrainian courage and your support that determine what is happening on the battlefield and most importantly, most importantly, what will happen on the battlefield. And although the occupiers are still trying to storm our positions, although our defense and counter-offensive actions are very difficult, it is still Ukraine. It is our soldiers who determine the course of events. And Russia cannot handle this war on its own. You can see it. It needs a run. Russia cannot succeed without the Shahids and other help. It needs North Korea, just imagine. For the first time in its history, Moscow has gone to Pyongyang to bow down. And the Russian, flexibly, is escaping our naval drones and missiles, traditional buyers of Russian weapons, see how superior the weapons made by the free world and used by Ukraine as are. Russia is slowly, but surely withdrawing from various points of geopolitical fractures in the world because it lacks its own threats. But at the same time, at the same time, it still has enough resources to incite conflicts and turn them into full-scale tragedies. And this is happening in the Sahel, and it can happen even more painfully in Israel and in the Middle East as a whole. We must not allow this to happen. We can prevent it, and we have to put even more pressure so that the aggressor weakens faster and does not have time to adapt to our pressure. And we need to make sure that Russia is heading for defeat and does not even attempt to claim anything else. One of the most vital battles here is the one against the Kremlin's key tool, its greatest perverted pride, the pride of the terrorists. And last winter, Russia wanted to turn it into a weapon against us by destroying all of our power plants and supply network, and I'm grateful to all of you, every country, every leader who helped us with air defense and energy equipment. It's really what a life saver for us, for all of us, for our people, our children. And obviously, this winter, Russia will try to repeat those tactics. But with certain conclusions and greater terrorist efforts, please know that even during that attack on Israel, terrorists target one of the largest power plants in the region. And until last winter, when Russia relied on these tactics, other terrorists had not done so in such attacks. And of course, our task now is to get through this difficult time through this winter. But in fact, the real power of this task is fulfilled is much greater than just getting through the winter. Air defense is a significant part of the answer to the question of when this war will end. And whether it will end justly for Ukraine. And I'm confident that it can be so, it will be so. Everyone can see what the protection of the sky gives. It is guaranteed that there will be normal life in the cities. There will be an economy. There will be people. A long-range air defense can also ensure the functioning of our corridors in the Black Sea and the Danube region. Air defense will ensure that Russian jets will not be able to approach our Ukrainian borders. And therefore, it will solve the issue of Russian guided bombs. And we all need this kind of push now, a step forward in our defense, air defense. For Ukraine, this will be a victory of life. And this is vital for Russia. It will be a failure of its key strategy, the strategy of terror. What will it have left by this? And we need to protect people. We need the opportunity to live and accumulate economic activity. And we need normal exports, grain is the key to global food security, Ukraine and grain. And then there is metallurgy also and other goods of our exports. It is economic basis of life. We need children to be able to study at schools, not only online, and we need people to live not only from one air alarm to another, but based on their plans for these weeks, better months. When this happens, the majority of our people who have found temporary refuge abroad will start to come back. Millions of Ukrainians, I'm sure, the stronger we are socially and economically, the more powerful we will be in the military sense. We will be able to ensure the work of a greater number and capacity of defense industries in Ukraine. We will be able to depend much less on the assistance of our partners. And we will be able to provide more support to the front line. Dear friends, we must win the Winter Battle against Terror, and we can win it. And along with it, we can win the battle for how and whose terms this war will end. Ukraine can survive, and it will. It will survive. However, it is important to take the weapons out of the hands of the enemy. What is Russia's strengths? Let's be honest, only the fact that they can't destroy lives. Russia is not capable of doing anything else. Is it a security donor? Really? No. A supporter of development? No. A political poll? No. A source of economical growth? No. A terrorist? Yes. Yes. That is the only thing. And that threatens Ukraine and many other nations. We need to get this instrument out of Russia's hands, the instrument of terror. And the answer is air defense and other types of weapons, the list of which we'll discuss in my team, of course, we'll share with you. And above all, please remember that these will not only help to bring a just end to the war for us, but also keep the war away from you, from your borders and borders of your allies from the Alliance. Missiles and drones will not fall in Romania and Poland or elsewhere if they cannot overcome the protection of the Ukrainian sky. Terrorists like Putin or like Hamas seek to hold free and democratic nations as hostages. And they want power over those who seek freedom. The terrorists will not change. They just must lose. And that means we must win. We do. It requires patience. It requires steady and continuous support. We need to take the right steps, steps that save lives of the people for real, vital steps and strengthen their defense significantly. Air defense is a must, and I'm sure you heard me. Thank you for your invitation. Thank you very much for your attention and for your common, big support during all these days, weeks, months of full-scale war. Thank you and your nations. Slavo Green. My name is Mara Karlin. I'm the Acting Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, and I will be the facilitator for today's Ukraine Defense Contact Group. I would like to now turn to NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg. Thank you. Mr. Umerov and General Brown, distinguished colleagues, it's a great honor to welcome you all to the NATO Headquarters. Secretary Austin, De Lloyd, thank you for your leadership. You have been instrumental since day one in garnering international support to Ukraine's war effort. President Zelensky, your leadership, the heroism of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the resolve of the Ukrainian people have impressed us all. When President Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, he thought Kiev would fall within days and Ukraine within weeks. He was wrong. The Ukrainian Armed Forces have exceeded expectations again and again. You have taken back 50 percent of the territory seized by Russia since February last year. You have inflicted a high cost on the Russian forces. Russia is degraded militarily, weaker economically, and more isolated politically. But there is no sign that Putin has given up on his ambitions. On the contrary, Russia has increased attack on critical infrastructure and is preparing again to use winter as a weapon of war. So we must continue to step up and sustain the steady flow of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. The stronger Ukraine is on the battlefield, the stronger they will be at the negotiating table, and the sooner this war will end. We need to put in place a long-term framework that will ensure history does not repeat itself. Therefore, all Allies agree that Ukraine will become a member of NATO. At our villainous summit in July, Allies removed the requirement for a membership action plan. We introduced a program to make Ukraine's Armed Forces fully interoperable with your future Allies. We established the NATO-Ukraine Council, where Allies and Ukraine sit as equals. So there, Blodomyr, again, it is a pleasure to welcome you to NATO. Your fight is our fight, your security is our security, your values are our values. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Stoltenberg. We will now pause as the press departs. Thank you all very much.