LIVE: Helsinki Commission; Game-Changer: The Baltics Under Pressure
LIVE: Defense Secretary Austin News Conference in Bratislava [starting soon]
c-span.org/video/?518788-1/defense-secretary-austin-joint-news-conference-slovakian-counterpart
"President Biden will discuss the war in Ukraine with Chinese premier Xi Jinping by phone on Friday in what will be their first conversation in months, the White House announced. The call comes amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as reports that Russia requested military aid from China. China indicated it could help Russia with military aid and some financial backing to ease the effect of American and European economic sanctions, two administration officials told the Associated Press on Monday. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian denied that Russia requested aid from China on Monday. The Kremlin also denied the claim. The Biden administration shared intelligence on Russian troop buildups on Ukraine’s border in the month’s before the invasion, the New York Times reported in February."
https://www.nationalreview.com/news/biden-to-discuss-war-in-ukraine-with-chinese-president-xi-jinping-on-friday/
Secretary Austin: Our position remains that we are not going to do that. [no-fly zone over Ukraine]
"Defense ministers of Slovakia and Slovenia said Thursday that they cannot give their Soviet-era S-300s air defense systems to Ukraine to defend itself against Russian missiles and warplanes, saying they need an alternative first to protect their own skies. Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav NaÄŹ and his Slovenian counterpart Matej Tonin made the remarks after they met in Slovakia's capital of Bratislava. They said they would only give the S-300s air defense systems to Ukraine if they get the Patriot anti-missile system as a substitute. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday arrived in Bratislava to discuss the possible transfer of the air defense systems and other defense plans. Any such transfer could be a three-country swap, with the U.S. or other NATO country providing Patriots or other air defense systems to make up for any S-300s passed on to Ukraine. The anti-air defense systems could be valuable in thwarting Russian air attacks. Ukraine already has a few S-300s, but wants more."
https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/europe/slovakia-no-air-defences-to-ukraine-without-back-up-articleshow.html
When asked, Secretary Austin declined to accuse Russia of committing 'war crimes'. Both Psaki and Price [State Department] have also not done so, in contrast to various members of congress, as well as Biden, who called Putin a 'war criminal.