Thread by @jseldin

Happening now: US @SecDef Lloyd Austin news conference w/#Slovakia Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad' in #Bratislava

#Slovakia Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad' says through translator that mtg w/@SecDef focused on "How we are going to seek ways...to helping our friend in #Ukraine"

"They need our help & we will provide such help"

NEW: "We talked also about the modernization of the Slovakian Armed Forces..." per #Slovakia DefMin Nad'

Also spoke about "various options" for #Russia|n-made #S300s & #MiG29s currently used by Slovakian forces

#NoFlyZone-#Ukraine - "President Biden has been clear that we won't have US forces fighting in Ukraine" per @SecDef

"Enforcing a no fly zone actually means you're in combat, you're in a fight w/Russia" he says "There's no such thing as a no fly zone 'light'"

#Ukraine's success vs #Russia has been w/medium & long range air defense systems, per @SecDef

Says US talking w/allies, partners to get those systems to the Ukrainians

"Those are discussions we'll continue to have...I don't have any announcements to make"

#Russia "using a lot of rockets & missiles & artillery" per @SecDef

Says #Ukraine's use of drones & counterfire has been very effective

NEW: #Slovakia DefMin Nad' in English says his country is ready to give #Ukraine S-300 system once #Bratislava has a "proper replacement"

"We are in discussions" he says, noting something could be done if Slovakia could get even security guarantees

Asked If #Russia, #Putin are guilty of war crimes, @SecDef says, "If you target civilians purposefully, that is a crime"

"These actions are under review" he says

More on #Slovakia's #S300s & #MiG29s

"what we're discussing is the options of how to fill in this gap if we decided not to use MiG 29s anymore" per #Slovakia's Nad' "We should F-16s sometimes in 2024"

"We've been in discussion w/#UnitedStates, w/#Ukraine & also w/other allies on possibility to deploy or to send or to give #S300 systems to Ukrainians" per #Slovakia DefMin Nad' "We're willing to do so immediately when we have a proper replacement"

"The only strategic air defense system that we have in #Slovakia is #S300 system" per #Slovakia DefMin Nad' "So what would happen immediately when we decide to give it to #Ukrainians is that we actually create a gap, security gap"

"Should there be situation that we have a proper replacement or that we have a capability guaranteed for a certain period of time then we would be willing to discuss the future of #S300 system" per #Slovakia DefMin Nad'