U.S. Secretary of Defense plans to participate in next Ramstein meeting
Photo: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (GettyImages)
Pentagon spokesperson General Patrick Ryder has revealed that U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who was recently discharged from the hospital, plans to personally participate in the upcoming Ramstein meeting, according to the information from a briefing.
It is claimed that the next Ramstein meeting will be conducted virtually due to the U.S. Secretary of Defense currently working from home while recovering from illness.
"As I highlighted, the Secretary continues to recuperate at home. Obviously, the UDCG is very important, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, and as he continues to recuperate, he of course wants to participate in that," said Ryder.
Hospitalization of Austin
70-year-old Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22, where he underwent surgery for cancer detected earlier in December during a routine examination.
A week later, he developed an infection, and on January 1, he was transferred to the intensive care unit. President Biden and high-ranking officials in the administration were only informed about Austin's hospitalization on January 4.
On January 15, the head of the Pentagon was discharged from the hospital, and he continued working from home.
Ramstein
The allies of Ukraine last met in the Ramstein format on November 22 of the previous year. The focus was on strengthening the Ukrainian air defense and providing assistance to the troops on the front.
For the results and statements made at the seventeenth Ramstein meeting, see the material by RBC-Ukraine.
The new meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine (Ramstein) is scheduled for January 23.
