Pentagon chief opens Ramstein meeting and calls for Ukraine's air defence to be strengthened

Ukrainska Pravda
·2 min read
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Wednesday 22 November saw the opening online of the 17th Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting (Ramstein), in which about 50 countries are taking part.

Source: European Pravda

Details: The meeting was opened by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who visited Ukraine at the beginning of this week.

He stated that both Ukraine and Israel are facing relentless foes who are out to annihilate them.

Quote: "And we see that Iran is fueling conflict in both Gaza and Ukraine by arming Hamas and Putin. Iran’s support for the Kremlin and Hamas harms Ukraine, stability in the Middle East, and the rules-based international order.

So as Ukraine faces another winter of war, I urge this group to provide Ukraine with air-defense capabilities to protect its people," Austin said, stressing that the US is fully capable of continuing its strong support for Ukraine even as it stands with Israel in its hour of need.

He noted that a few days prior to his visit to Kyiv, Putin’s forces had started a new barrage of missile attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine to try to damage Ukraine’s energy grid.

"But I remain more confident than ever that the Ukrainian people will stay resilient in the face of hardship. That’s because they are fighting for their homes, for their families, and for their very future.

As we dig deep to support our partner, we must think creatively about how we can continue to meet Ukraine’s needs. The United States remains committed to doing our part," Austin assured his audience.

Background:

  • Earlier, the US Department of Defense denied that the supply of NATO-standard ammunition requested by Ukraine has dropped by 30% since the beginning of Israel’s war against Hamas.

  • US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visited Kyiv on 20 November. He announced a new US$100 million military aid package for Ukraine, which includes artillery projectiles and an additional HIMARS system.

  • Austin stated that the US Defense Department would continue working towards securing additional funding for Kyiv's defence and other needs in the US Congress.

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