Ramstein-17: Allies' meeting and expectations for Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Photo: Getty Images)
A new meeting in the Ramstein format will take place today, November 22. This is the 17th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's defense.
What events preceded the new "Ramstein" and what to expect from the new meeting of the allies - read in the RBC-Ukraine article below.
The following sources were used to prepare this material: the Pentagon press service, statements by Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ramstein 17: when it will take place and the topic
The 17th Ramstein is expected to take place today in a virtual format. Traditionally, the talks are scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. Kyiv time and will be opened by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who chairs the Contact Group.
As Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said while announcing the date of the new meeting, the U.S. side will continue to provide Ukraine with military aid, but the size of the packages will be reduced.
The Pentagon chief invited defense ministers and defense chiefs from about 50 countries to the meeting to discuss further military assistance to Ukraine in the short and long term.
Confirming the date of the "Ramstein" meeting, Austin stressed that during it the allies will focus on providing Ukraine with the necessary equipment to fight Russia.
Visits by U.S. and German defense ministers and pledges by allies
USA
It is worth noting that Ramstein was preceded by a visit to Ukraine by the head of the U.S. Department of Defense. Austin arrived in Kyiv on November 20 and met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov. On the same day, the Pentagon announced $100 million in military aid for Ukraine.
Austin's visit also included a meeting with Ukrainian military personnel in Kyiv. The meeting was attended by soldiers who had returned from combat missions, including in the direction of Avdiivka, one of the hottest spots on the front line.
During his visit to the Ukrainian capital, Austin said he came to show that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine. He expressed confidence that Ukraine's armed forces are ready for combat operations in the winter.
Describing the meeting with his American counterpart, the Ukrainian defense minister noted that the Pentagon chief's visit to Kyiv negates the enemy's attempts to impose the idea of "U.S. fatigue with Ukraine".
Umerov also informed that he had discussed with Austin Ukraine's plans to counter Russian aggression, current and future needs on the battlefield to implement them, ways to further assist the United States and its allies, and our country's aspirations to become a NATO member.
Germany
The next day, November 21, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius arrived in Kyiv. He also met with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The German and Ukrainian defense ministers also visited a training center for the Ukrainian military.
According to the press service of the German Defense Ministry, discussions took place with Ukrainian soldiers, addressing the current need for support, among other topics.
At a joint briefing with Pistorius in the capital, Umerov emphasized that there is a plan to de-occupy the entire Ukrainian territory from the Russian invaders and that Ukraine continues to move by it.
It should be noted that yesterday Germany announced a new powerful package of military support for Ukraine worth 1.3 billion euros. The package includes 4 IRIS-T SLM anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,000 155-mm caliber shells, anti-tank mines, and other weapons.
Among other things, this package includes strengthening our air defense, namely the production of new IRIS-T systems and air defense missiles.
The German minister also said that "there is no new information on the Taurus," but promised that Berlin plans to supply Kyiv with 140,000 155-mm shells next year.
What is known about the last Ramstein
The last meeting of the Contact Group was held on October 11 at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. As a result, Ukraine received financial and military assistance from partner countries.
In particular, the United States then handed over a $200 million military aid package to Ukraine, including air defense missiles and artillery ammunition.
The peculiarity of the last Ramstein was that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended in person. He raised the issue of providing Ukraine with additional air defense systems and artillery ammunition, which the United States has identified as a priority for assistance.
Read more about the results of the latest Ramstein in the RBC-Ukraine article here.
