At the US airbase in Ramstein, defense ministers and high-ranking military officers from 50 countries are discussing further military aid for Ukraine. Germany also pledges further support.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) said on the sidelines of the conference that Germany would help Ukraine, together with the Netherlands, to clear mines. This does not only include technical equipment. Soldiers from Ukraine are to be trained in mine detection and clearance in Stetten am Kalten Markt in Baden-Württemberg.
Help also with winter equipment of Ukraine
Lambrecht also promised Ukraine support for the winter – for example power generation equipment, tents or other equipment. In addition, further tanks of the “Gepard” and “Biber” types, which had already been promised, would soon be delivered.
Austin in Ramstein: “The war in Ukraine has reached a turning point”
In his opening address, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recalled the first ministerial meeting in Ramstein at the end of April. At that time, the aim was to help Ukraine with weapons in the short term in order to repel the attack by Russian troops.
Now the war has reached a new phase, Austin even spoke of a turning point. The Russian attack on Kyiv was repelled, the Ukrainian troops had launched an offensive in the south of the country. “We are seeing the demonstrable success of our efforts on the battlefield,” Austin said.
Now it is a question of finding out what support Ukraine needs in the long term. He pledged further US military aid to Ukraine worth around 675 million euros. In addition, an international training mission for Ukrainian soldiers should be discussed.
Warm welcome from the American Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (3rd from left) and his German counterpart Christine Lambrecht (3rd from right).
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The US Secretary of Defense expressly thanked his German colleague Christine Lambrecht (SPD) for supporting Germany in installing air defense systems. “We’ve done so much already,” Austin said. “And we want to do more.”
The meeting is observed by many media representatives.
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Ukraine asks for more western weapons
Shortly before the conference, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Schmyhal said he made concrete proposals for the delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks to Kyiv at a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) in Berlin. Germany has already delivered the Panzerhaubitze 2000 and the MARS-II multiple rocket launcher and other weapons to Ukraine.
NATO recently announced that it would equip Ukrainian troops with winter gear. Among other things, warm clothing, winter boots and tents are to be delivered. The plans were drawn up at the request of Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.
Heavy weapons for Ukraine announced for the first time in Ramstein
It is already the fifth meeting of the contact group – the first also took place in Ramstein at the end of April. At that time, Defense Minister Lambrecht announced for the first time that Germany would be supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine. These were 30 copies of the anti-aircraft tank Gepard.
Another meeting of the Contact Group took place in Brussels in June. The German defense minister promised to supply Ukraine with artillery rocket systems from Bundeswehr stocks.
The residents of the surrounding towns of the air base in the Palatinate get little from the meeting. Even at the first meeting, the effects such as closed roads could only be felt at the air base itself.