Upshot of @SecDef in Slovakia, per presser: Slovakia says it's willing to provide Ukraine with S-300 air defense, but wants assurances that they'll be provided with some other system to defend themselves.
@SecDef says he has nothing to announce today.
@SecDef says he has nothing to announce today.
SECDEF, asked if the U.S. could provide Slovakia a Patriot or some other air-defense system:
"I don’t have any announcements for you this afternoon. These are things that we will continue to work with all of our allies on..."
"I don’t have any announcements for you this afternoon. These are things that we will continue to work with all of our allies on..."
Slovakian defense minister: "“Should there be a situation where there is a proper replacement or if we have a capability guaranteed for a certain period of time, then we would be willing to discuss the future of S-300 system.”
. @SecDef also raised the possibility of improving Ukraine's ability to return fire against Russians who launch artillery and other long-range fires at them.
"They’re using a lot of rockets and missiles and artillery," @SecDef said of Russia. "So, there are a number of things that can be used to counter that."
"We have seen that drones have been very effective. We also have seen that having the ability to conduct counter-fire with rockets and artillery is also very effective. And so I think increasingly we'll see the Ukrainian forces turn to those methods to counter that.”
Some have suggested giving Ukraine more counterbattery radar so Ukrainians forces can get a sense for where Russians are launching from. Would also force the Russians to "shoot and scoot" more.
To date, U.S. has provided four counter-artillery radar & four counter-mortar radar.
To date, U.S. has provided four counter-artillery radar & four counter-mortar radar.
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