Outcomes of 14th Ramstein meeting, including M113 armored vehicles and more
Lloyd Austin, the head of the Pentagon (Photo: Getty Images)
Another "Ramstein format" meeting took place today in a virtual format. Nearly 50 allies discussed enhancing Ukraine's combat capabilities.
RBC-Ukraine provides the main outcomes of the fourteenth "Ramstein format" meeting.
What was supposed to be discussed
Yesterday, Ukrainian Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov had a conversation with the head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin.
The ministers discussed the priorities of the virtual "Ramstein" meeting.
Lloyd Austin and Oleksii Reznikov (Photo: Getty Images)
At this meeting, the main focus was supposed to be given to Ukraine's immediate needs in air defense and ammunition, as well as long-term support and material-technical provisions for Ukraine.
Help in the long run
Today, during the opening of the "Ramstein" meeting, Lloyd Austin stated that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is a crucial moment in this tragic war.
"As I said, Ukraine's fight for freedom is a marathon, not a sprint. We have provided Ukraine with critical capabilities, such as air defense and ammunition, and we do not intend to withdraw our support," said Austin.
He also promised that the Contact Group will continue to support Ukraine, providing training and equipment for the Armed Forces.
"Now, during today's meeting, we talked about Ukraine's ongoing requirements including, as I've said, its urgent need for ammunition. We also discussed plans to ramp up production at both the national level and the multinational level through the European Union's important initiative to produce more ammunition " added Austin.
Support for Ukraine from other countries
The head of the Pentagon reported that he heard from his colleagues in the aviation coalition F-16, namely Denmark and the Netherlands, about the continued progress in joint training.
Furthermore, Sweden and France have signed a bilateral agreement with Ukraine regarding defense procurement. This will help Ukraine acquire even more advanced systems and facilitate faster and deeper cooperation.
Details on the preparation for the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The head of the Pentagon announced that he heard from his colleagues in the F-16 aviation coalition - Denmark and the Netherlands - about the continuation of progress in joint training efforts.
Additionally, Sweden and France have signed a bilateral agreement with Ukraine concerning defense purchases. This will aid Ukraine in acquiring more advanced systems and foster faster and deeper cooperation.
The Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, stated today that one should not expect quick results from Ukraine's counteroffensive. However, the preparation for it has been challenging.
According to him, the international coalition has prepared 17 brigade combat groups for Ukraine's counteroffensive, comprising over 63,000 military personnel. Despite this, Ukraine is still "preserving combat power" as "they (soldiers - Ed.) are slowly and deliberately and steadily working their way through all these minefields", said Milley.
Mark Milley (Photo: Getty Images)
He pointed out that despite the Russians having time to prepare their defense, they encountered significant problems, including poor training, equipment, and morale. The situation was further complicated by the turmoil caused by the uprising of the Prigozhin faction.
"It's far from a failure in my view, it's way too early to make that kind call... This is going to be long. It's gonna be hard. It's gonna be bloody," said Milley.
However, he believes that the main problem causing Ukrainian casualties at the moment is minefields, not Russian aviation.
Ukraine will receive M113 armored personnel carriers
Ukraine will receive a batch of M113 armored personnel carriers from three European countries in the near future. The Minister of Defense of the Netherlands, Kajsa Ollongren, announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will receive them from the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Belgium.
The minister noted that besides other applications, this armored tracked vehicle helps in the safe transportation of soldiers.
"This is how we support the infantry on the ground," Ollongren added.
M113 (Photo: Getty Images)
The Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands has informed that the M113 armored personnel carriers will be equipped with a remote-controlled weapon system. Machine guns can also be installed on the vehicles. Ukraine will also receive the necessary spare parts.
"It is expected that the entire package will be transferred in the coming months," as reported by the defense department.
Military aid from the USA
Reuters reported today that the United States of America will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine in the coming days, amounting to 1.3 billion dollars.
"The previously unreported weapons package includes air defenses, counter-drone systems, exploding drones and ammunition, one of the U.S. officials said," wrote Reuters.
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Joe Biden ( Photo: Getty Images)
The United States uses funds within its "Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative" (USAI) program, which allows the administration of President Joe Biden to purchase weapons from the industry rather than withdrawing them from U.S. weapon stocks.
What military aid package will include
Among the systems and munitions that the United States plans to procure for Ukraine are air defense systems produced by L3Harris Technologies under the name VAMPIRE.
Additionally, two different types of loitering munitions may be included: the Phoenix Ghost drone produced by AVEVEX, a private company in California, and the Switchblade produced by AeroVironment Inc.
Reuters reports that Ukraine will receive a substantial quantity of counter-drone systems produced by Australian company DroneShield Ltd, as well as radars, sensors, and analysis systems.
Today, Mark Milley announced that the USA has recently declared an additional aid package worth 800 million dollars. It includes additional artillery munitions, HIMARS systems, and air defense equipment such as Patriot missiles.
"It also includes a broad range of artillery systems and munitions, anti-armor munitions, precision aerial munitions, demolitions, and various other supplies that are necessary to keep Ukraine in the fight. U.S. security assistance to Ukraine now totals over $40 million -- $40 billion, which sends a very clear message," said the general.
Ukraine's reaction
Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, stated that the "Ramstein" 14 meeting demonstrated unwavering support for Ukraine from our partners.
The priority was focused on the delivery of urgently needed weapons and equipment to liberate Ukrainian territory. The main areas of attention were air defense systems, armored vehicles, and ammunition. Reznikov also thanked the Netherlands and Estonia for presenting concrete steps toward the creation of an IT coalition.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine expressed gratitude to his Lithuanian colleague for the initiative to establish a coalition for demining.
"Special thanks to a great friend of Ukraine and my dear friend for leading an unprecedented coalition against evil. Together, we are working hard to achieve victory, a just peace and a better future," wrote Reznilov.
