Zelensky said that he is going to the meeting of “Ramstein”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is going to the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine in the Rammstein format, which will be held on January 9 in Germany. The head of state announced this in an evening address on January 8.

“Tomorrow I will be at a meeting in the Rammstein format, talks with partners at the level of defense ministers and military commanders are also planned. Defense Minister of Ukraine Umyerov is already in Germany and has started the first meetings. The key for Ukraine is to continue to strengthen our air defense, to enable Ukraine to at least drive Russian military aircraft away from our cities and our borders. This is real, if the partners are now still implementing the agreements that we have been talking about with them for a long time,” Zelenskyi said.

According to him, the Ukrainian side will also discuss with partners how the defense coalitions will continue to work in 2025.

“Europe has only one choice – and it is a historical choice – to become stronger, to become more independent, to rely more on itself. We must be adults in this world and be ready to make our European contribution to global security. This will be right for everyone in Europe,” Zelensky said.

Earlier, the US Ministry of Defense reported that during the 25th meeting of the Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, a plan for Ukraine’s defense capabilities will be drawn up. In particular, coalition leaders from 50 countries will need to approve road maps that will articulate the needs and goals of the Ukrainian air force, armored vehicles, artillery, mine clearance, drones, integrated air and missile defense, information technology and maritime security until 2027.

The day before, US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin left Washington for Germany, where on January 9 he will hold a Rammstein-style meeting. This will be his last meeting as the head of the Pentagon.

The Ramstein meeting, which was supposed to take place in October 2024 and was to be attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and US President Joe Biden, was postponed after Biden canceled his trip to Germany due to Hurricane Milton in the United States.

The Ukrainian president announced that during the 25th meeting in the Rammstein format, Ukraine will present its “victory plan” to all partners.