Pentagon details agenda for upcoming Ramstein meeting

The US Department of Defense noted that the Ramstein meetings, held since April 2022, play an "instrumental in coordinating international support to assist Ukraine in defending its sovereignty against Russia’s unprovoked aggression."

The US Department of Defense called the upcoming 25th meeting a "milestone."

During the meeting, Austin will engage with defense ministers from other coalition nations and senior military officials from around the world.

The Pentagon informed that the Ramstein discussions will focus on:

• Ukraine's immediate battlefield needs,
• long-term defense requirements and the critical coordination carried out through coalitions of forces and resources.

"The meeting will focus on the need to ensure continued delivery of key capabilities, including air defense systems, artillery munitions, and armored vehicles, as well as efforts to enhance the defense industrial base," the US Department of Defense stated.

Meeting to decide on Ukraine support roadmap through 2027

The Pentagon’s website also included statements from two senior officials to the media on January 7. They stated that at the meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Austin plans to gather eight leaders from the coalition forces and resources of the contact group. The goal is to create a plan for Ukraine’s defense capabilities. This plan will focus on establishing reliable deterrence forces through 2027.

The US Department of Defense explained that within the Ramstein format, there is a coalition leadership group consisting of eight coalitions focused on different capabilities. These coalitions represent a specific aspect of Ukraine’s military potential and are co-led by at least two NATO countries.

"The leaders of these coalitions will need to endorse roadmaps that articulate Ukraine's air force, armor, artillery, de-mining, drone, integrated air and missile defense, information technology, and maritime security needs and objectives through 2027. These roadmaps are intended to enable donors to plan for and support Ukraine sustainably into the future," the Pentagon quoted one US defense official.

The US official also noted that while the 25th meeting of the Contact Group will be Austin’s final one as Secretary of Defense, the Department of Defense is not "sunsetting" the group, and its work will continue.

The US Department of Defense also reminded that since the establishment of the Contact Group in April 2022, the US, its allies, and partners have allocated more than $126 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

New Ramstein meeting

The Next Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in the Ramstein format will take place on January 9.

Recently, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh mentioned that the meeting will focus on ensuring practical and coordinated steps to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities both now and in the future.

On January 7, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Kyiv is preparing thoroughly for the upcoming Ramstein meeting. He noted that all the needs of the Ukrainian military are being discussed.

Additionally, according to the Associated Press, during the Pentagon chief’s visit to Germany for the Ramstein meeting on January 9, the US is expected to announce a significant military aid package for Ukraine.