Media uncovers date of upcoming Ramstein meeting: Details
Photo: The media learned the date of the next Ramstein meeting (Getty Images)
The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format will take place in a week. This time, the United States will not be presiding, Radio Svoboda reports.
According to sources from the news agency, the next Ramstein meeting will take place on February 12.
Radio Svoboda emphasizes that this time the meeting will be chaired by the United Kingdom, not the United States.
The Ramstein format was initiated in the spring of 2022 after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine's partners held an in-person meeting at the US air base Ramstein in Germany, where they discussed military support for Ukraine.
Traditionally, the United States, specifically the Secretary of Defense, chairs the in-person or online meeting. Twenty-five Ramstein meetings have already taken place.
The last Ramstein meeting took place on January 9, 2025, before the US president changed, and Donald Trump returned to the White House. There were concerns that after Trump's return, the Ramstein format could be restructured. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy assured that the continuation of the Ramstein format was not raised as an issue.
It should be noted that even before the election, Trump advocated for reducing military aid to Ukraine. He also stated that aid should be provided as a loan rather than a "gift."
Additionally, the US president has grievances with other NATO members, including some EU countries. Trump wants defense spending to be increased to 5% of GDP, but some European countries have not yet reached the 2% level.
