Reznikov leaves for Ramstein-9 summit, names main issues on agenda

Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that he's en route to the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as Ramstein, set to take place on Feb. 14 at the NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Key issues on the meeting's agenda will be the protection of the Ukrainian sky, the "tank coalition's" development, the formation of a safety margin for ammunition, training programs for Ukrainian troops, and stability of military support, according to Reznikov.

"For the ninth time, I have the honor of leading a joint team of representatives of the Defense Ministry, intelligence, the General Staff, and our diplomats, which will work intensively with partners in the coming days," the minister wrote. "The pace is extremely high."

Andrii Sybiha, deputy head of the President's Office, said on Jan. 22 that the office hopes the 9th Ramstein meeting would focus on providing Ukraine with aircraft.

During his speech at the Ramstein-8 meeting in Germany on Jan. 20, President Volodymyr Zelensky asked partners to give Ukraine longer-range missiles and F-16 fighters. Ukraine's allies have been reluctant to supply these Western-made fighter jets so far.

Shortly after the eighth Ramstein summit, which came amid Kyiv's frustration with the long-standing dissent over tanks, Germany confirmed that it would send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and allow other countries to send their own stocks.