Rutte confirmed Zelenskyy's participation in the Ramstein meeting in Brussels
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate in a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defense in the “Ramstein” format.
According to Rutte, the Ukrainian president is already in Belgium and arrived in Brussels yesterday.
The NATO Secretary General confirmed that Zelenskyy will attend a key meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which serves as one of the main platforms for coordinating military aid to Kyiv.
“Last night, I had the honor of hosting him at my residence,” Mark Rutte noted.
The “Ramstein” format remains a key instrument for coordinating the supply of weapons, air defense systems, and long-term military support for Ukraine from its allies.
During such meetings, partner countries coordinate further steps to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and support its army amid the war.
He made these remarks while speaking with journalists in Brussels ahead of the meeting of NATO defense ministers.
Ukraine plans to ask its allies for additional funding of approximately $20 billion during the next “Ramstein” meeting. The funds could be used to strengthen defense capabilities and maintain an advantage on the battlefield.
Ukraine and Germany discussed the key needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces ahead of the Ramstein meeting.
Ukraine and NATO agreed on key defense priorities ahead of the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. During the coordination, the parties focused on strengthening air defense, supplying ammunition, and expanding the production of Ukrainian drones.
Fedorov noted on Telegram that among the key priorities for cooperation are: partner contributions to the PURL program; the supply of PAC-3 missiles through the JUMPSTART mechanism to strengthen anti-ballistic capabilities; long-range shells under the Czech Initiative; and funding for the production of Ukrainian drones.
The next meeting of the Contact Group in the “Ramstein” format is scheduled for June. In addition, Ukraine plans to hold a closed-door meeting of deputy ministers to discuss the PURL mechanism. This will be the thirty-fifth meeting of the Ramstein-format Contact Group on Ukrainian Defense Issues.
