“At Ramstein, a plan to support Ukraine’s defense until 2027 will be determined.Lloyd Austin will gather the leaders of 8 coalition groups to develop a roadmap for strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities until 2027. The meeting will discuss aviation, armored vehicles, air defense and other areas of military assistance.”, — write on: unn.ua
Details
It is noted that the contact group on the defense of Ukraine, which Austin established in response to Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, unites about 50 countries that regularly discuss Ukraine’s security needs.
Within the Contact Group, there is a group of coalition leaders representing eight key areas of Ukraine’s military capabilities. Each coalition is led by at least two NATO member states.
The leaders of these coalitions must approve road maps outlining Ukraine’s needs in aviation, armored vehicles, artillery, mine clearance, drones, integrated air and missile defense, information technology and maritime security until 2027. These roadmaps should help donors plan and provide support to Ukraine for the long term
Asked about the future of the Contact Group in the event that US support declines after the Jan. 20 administration change, officials stressed that the group’s multilateral structure will ensure its sustainability in the future.
We are confident that the multilateral approach initiated by Minister Austin, as well as his belief in joint work and respect for the capabilities of European countries, allowed us to do more together than we could do individually
He also added that the future of these coalitions is the reason for holding a meeting at the ministerial level, which will lay a solid foundation for further work.
I cannot speak for the next administration’s decision regarding its role in the UDCG, but I am confident in the commitment of the European partners and their capabilities and expertise. I am sure that these coalitions will continue to work
A second senior official emphasized that while the 25th meeting will be Austin’s last, the US Department of Defense has no plans to end the work of the Contact Group.
Through multi-stakeholder work and coalitions of capabilities, the UDCG will continue to operate in one form or another, regardless of how the new team chooses to support it
According to the US Department of Defense, since the establishment of the Contact Group in April 2022, the US, its allies and partners have provided Ukraine with more than $126 billion in security assistance.
The 25th meeting of the UDCG is scheduled for Thursday, January 9.
We will remind
President Zelenskyi reported on preparations for the Rammstein format meeting this week. Strengthening of air defense of Ukraine with the participation of dozens of partner countries will be discussed at the meeting.