“Pentagon head will miss the meeting Ramstein – Defense News on April 3, 04:01 Share: Pete Hegset (photo: Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Via Reuters) US Defense Minister Pete Hegset will not participate in the next April Support Group from Ramstin. About it reports Defense News with reference to sources in the US administration. This will become the first case of the absence of the US Defense Minister at the meetings of the group from the moment of its creation”, – WRITE ON: ua.news
Pete Hegset (photo: Kiyoshi Ota/Pool Via Reuters)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset will not participate in the next meeting of the Ramstein Defense Contact Group on April 11 in Brussels.
This was reported by Defense News, citing sources in the US administration.
This will be the first case of the absence of the US Defense Minister at the meetings of the group since its establishment in April 2022. The only previous exception is February 2023, when Austin missed a meeting through surgery for prostate cancer, but participated online.
Hegset plans neither face or online. The United States has not yet determined their level of representation.
The meeting will be held by the United Kingdom and Germany.
Earlier, only once the meeting was without minister – in February 2023, when Lloyd Austin (Hegsset’s predecessor) missed the meeting on medical readings, but connected online.
According to experts, European allies began to prepare to change the format of the group’s work under Baiden administration. Former US Deputy Defense Minister Selesto Wollander confirmed that alternative presidency schemes were developed in advance.
The last meeting of February 12 has already been chaired by the United Kingdom, which was a departure from the traditional leading role of Washington. Now, according to sources, the US representation may be limited by lower -rank diplomats.