Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukraine Will Survive and the US is Preparing to Arm it for Years, Says Pentagon’s Hicks

Ukraine Will Survive and the US is Preparing to Arm it for Years, Says Pentagon’s Hicks

Deputy Defense Secretary Hicks discusses Russia, China, and inflation’s effects on the Pentagon’s buying power at the 7th Annual Defense One Tech Summit.
U.S. defense leaders believe Ukraine will survive Russia’s invasion and are already planning on how to arm the country for the long-term, said the Pentagon’s No. 2 civilian official.

“I think what we can assure ourselves today is that there will be a country called Ukraine. It will be a sovereign country and that country will have a military that will need to defend it,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said Monday. “And so as we look ahead, we're thinking through what are the kinds of capabilities that the Ukrainians need to protect themselves over the long term.”

Facing the challenge of supporting Ukraine, modernizing the U.S. military to deter China and doing so in the midst of rising inflation and a possible recession, the Pentagon’s No. 2 civilian leader laid out how the Defense Department is attempting to tackle multiple unprecedented challenges at once, in an exclusive interview during the 7th annual Defense One Tech Summit.

The United States announced two weeks ago that it would begin sending long-range artillery systems, helicopters, and other additional heavy weapons to Ukraine as part of a new $700 million arms package. But, said Hicks, the department is also trying to take a longer-term approach to supporting Ukraine, five, 10, and 20 years into the future.

“We're certainly thinking through the pieces that go into that with all the lessons we have developing out and aiding, advising and assisting… a partner nation, in this case Ukraine. I do think we are well equipped to do that. So are many of our allies and friends, and we're working together now to decide what's the best pathway forward.” She said continued support would go beyond just arms. “​​We’re trying to think through the kinds of both equipment but also the any kind of longer term training and defense establishment efforts that they will need.”

Ukraine’s Olga Stefanishyna, deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, told Defense One two weeks ago that those needs included more long-range fires and other equipment and weapons systems, like drones. Perhaps most important, she said, is that there’s a logistics system and a plan in place to make sure the West can continue to supply Ukraine promptly for the foreseeable future.

“There are priority weapons we need, but even more important is to have the continuous, coordinated and timely … delivery,” she said during the GLOBSEC Bratislava Forum in Slovakia “If there is a gap between political agreement and actual implementation, the support comes as a gift that is not acceptable in times of war.”

Hicks is also charged with helping the Pentagon to modernize in the midst of major economic headwinds. She said that, so far, record inflation numbers have not yet shown a “substantial” effect on the Pentagon’s “buying power” but she’s watching how it might affect the timing and schedule of acquisition programs and projects.

“I do anticipate we'll see them in the longer term,” she said. “Schedule is one of those things I'm really paying attention to—to start to see if we have—where we have many firm-fixed-price contracts, for example, where it may not be that we see a price increase because it's a firm fixed price contract, but we might see schedule slips, and that could be supply chain, it could be workforce related, etc…”
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Trump Administration Seeks to Repurpose $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: “The Current Welfare State Can No Longer Be Financed”
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
Wizz Air passengers screamed as storm-battered flight diverts to Bologna
European postal services halt U.S. deliveries after Trump imposes new tariffs
Urban explorer finds abandoned luxury restaurant left to decay
Fidesz leader labels Péter Magyar a ‘bluffer’ amid escalating political spat
French rope park operator arrested for denying entry to Israeli children
Újpest thrashes Zalaegerszeg 4-1 to secure first win in five matches
Profit-margin cap costs retailers 13 billion forints a month, warns trade group
Curiosity rover finds coral-like rock on Mars hinting at watery past
U.S. green policy rollback drives investors to Europe’s sustainable finance market
Special funerals rise in Hungary: boat, aerial and forest burials gain popularity
Hungary’s Kiskunság region turning into semi-desert after extreme drought
Kopasz Bálint wins world kayak 1000 m title in Milan, making him triple world champion
Budapest’s Keleti railway station to close for four weeks for track overhaul
Balaton could be unfit for swimming by 2035 and dry by 2050, scientists warn
Leaked guidelines show Meta’s AI allowed flirty and racist interactions with children
Filming of ‘Emily in Paris’ halted after assistant director dies on set
Filipino guest workers sue after Hungary moves to deport them for pregnancy
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
A monster hit and a billion-dollar toy empire
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
×