Latest news with #Ramstein-format
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US hasn't decided yet on new Ukraine aid, focuses on peace, NATO envoy says
The U.S. administration has not yet made any new decisions on military assistance for Kyiv as it remains focused on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told journalists on June 4. Whitaker stressed that Washington counts on European leadership in providing Ukraine with the resources needed to achieve a lasting peace, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. The envoy made the comments as Kyiv's partners gathered in Brussels for a Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG). The UDCG was initially launched by former U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in 2022 to coordinate assistance for Ukraine among some 50 countries. Pete Hegseth, the current Pentagon chief, relinquished chairmanship of the group to the U.K. and Germany and opted out of the June 4 meeting, leaving Whitaker to represent the U.S. Since taking office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has not approved any new defense aid for Ukraine, vowing instead to broker a swift peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow. The assistance approved under the previous Biden administration continues to flow, but is expected to run out in the coming months. Washington also provides Ukraine with crucial intelligence assistance. As peace talks stall, Trump has signaled the U.S. might abandon its involvement in the effort, raising fears among European partners that he might also cut off all remaining support for Ukraine. The U.S. president has repeatedly urged Europe to take up responsibility for backing Ukraine and for its own security as his strategic focus shifts away from the continent. Under former President Joe Biden, the U.S. has been the leader in military donations to Ukraine, supplying some weapons that European allies struggle to replace, including air defense interceptors. Read also: Inside Russia, calls for peace come with conditions — and Kremlin talking points We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
For the first time, Pentagon chief to reportedly skip Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's allies
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend the June 4 meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing a U.S. official. The news agency reported that Hegseth will not arrive in Brussels until the conference is over and will not participate in the event online either. If confirmed, this will be the first meeting of Kyiv's roughly 50 military backers in the so-called Ramstein format that the Pentagon chief will not attend. The U.K. and Germany will chair the June 4 meeting, which will take place as Russia continues to reject a ceasefire and reportedly prepares new offensives against Ukraine. Ukraine has called upon its partners to invest more in its arms production and to provide additional air defenses, namely Patriot systems, to help fend off intensifying Russian aerial attacks. Hegseth's predecessor, former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, launched the UDCG after the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war in 2022 to coordinate assistance among Kyiv's allies. The last Ramstein-format UDCG meeting took place in Brussels on April 11 under the chairmanship of London and Berlin, with allies committing more than 21 billion euros ($23.8 billion) in long-term military aid to Ukraine. Hegseth attended the Ramstein summit on Feb. 12, but not as its chairman, a position held by Austin until then. His British counterpart, John Healey, presided over the summit instead. Previous reporting suggested that the defense secretary was to skip the April meeting, but he eventually joined via video link. Since taking office in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has begun scaling down the U.S. presence in various international pro-Ukraine initiatives as he seeks to broker a ceasefire and a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow. As the peace talks stall, Trump has signaled he might walk away from the effort. The U.S. president has been notably silent on the most recent war developments, including the most recent peace talks in Istanbul or Ukraine's mass drone attack on the Russian strategic aviation. Read also: Inside Russia, calls for peace come with conditions — and Kremlin talking points We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Next Ramstein summit to take place on June 4 in Brussels
The upcoming Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in the Ramstein format will be held on June 4 in Brussels under the chairmanship of the U.K. and Germany, NATO announced on May 29. The Ramstein summit will take place as Washington is trying to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia to end Moscow's full-scale war. In the meantime, Russia is amassing forces for a new offensive against Ukraine while continuing its attacks on civilians across the country, straining Ukrainian air defenses. The last Ramstein-format UDCG meeting took place in Brussels on April 11 under the chairmanship of London and Berlin — a position previously held by the U.S. Leadership over Ramstein transitioned following the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. During the previous meeting, NATO allies committed more than 21 billion euros ($23.8 billion) in long-term military aid to Ukraine. The move came amid growing uncertainty over U.S. support for Ukraine and efforts by European allies to close the gap as Kyiv resists Russia's ongoing war. Read also: Russia amassed enough troops to attack Ukraine's Sumy Oblast, Border Guard warns We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukrainian diplomat urges Merz to deliver Taurus missiles to Kyiv, lead Europe in ending Russia's war
Ukrainian diplomat Andrii Melnyk has called on Germany's incoming chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to fulfill his campaign promise and immediately deliver 150 Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine, alongside a broader set of decisive actions to stop Russia's full-scale war. "Germany, of all places, has a decisive role to play in stopping murder and bringing about a just peace," Melnyk wrote in a letter published in German by Die Welt, a national daily newspaper. "Not only does the future of the Federal Republic depend on your success as chancellor, but also the fate of Ukraine — and the whole of Europe." Andrii Melnyk served as Ukraine's ambassador to Germany from December 2014 to October 2022, then as Deputy Foreign Minister, and since June 20, 2023, he has been Ukraine's ambassador to Brazil. In the letter, published shortly before Easter, Melnyk outlined five steps Merz should take during his first 100 days in office. First, he proposed a coalition decision to allocate 0.5% of Germany's GDP annually — around 21.5 billion euros ($24.5 billion) per year, or 86 billion euros ($98 billion) by 2029 — for arms supplies to Ukraine. The funding, he said, should go toward the production of advanced weapons in both Germany and Ukraine, calling it "a huge investment in Germany's security." Read also: 'Today we will pledge billions' for Ukraine — allies begin Ramstein-format meeting in Brussels Melnyk also called for the same 0.5% commitment to be adopted at the EU and G7 levels, excluding the United States. He said the resulting 550-billion-euro ($622 billion) investment in Ukraine's defense over the next four years would send a powerful message to Moscow. "This mega-commitment… would be a huge warning signal to Putin that you, Mr. Merz, and our allies are serious about Ukraine's aid," he wrote. "This will impress Putin." One of the most urgent demands in the letter is the immediate announcement and implementation of Taurus missile deliveries. "This election promise must be fulfilled, despite the expected resistance from the (Social Democratic Party) SPD," Melnyk wrote, adding that Germany does not need "coordination with partners" or to issue ultimatums to the Kremlin. The outgoing German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has repeatedly blocked the delivery of Taurus missiles over his concerns about escalation. Merz has been critical of this position and advocated for Ukraine's ability to strike strategically. In an interview on April 13, Merz also suggested that the long-range missiles, if supplied to Ukraine, could be used to target strategic Russian military infrastructure in occupied Crimea. The Telegraph reported on April 16 that the U.K. would support a potential German decision to send Taurus missiles to Ukraine. "These inferno weapons should simply be delivered, without 'ifs' and 'buts', to stop the creeping advance of the Russians and change the current war dynamics at its core," Melnyk wrote, according to the Welt. The letter also proposes transferring 30% of Germany's available fighter jets, helicopters, and armored vehicles to Ukraine and adopting a lend-lease-style law to enable swift deliveries. Melnyk concluded by urging Merz to push to confiscate 200 billion euros in frozen Russian assets and use the funds for Ukraine's reconstruction. Read also: As Trump mulls cuts, NATO's integrity is on the line We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine ready to buy more air defense systems, Zelensky says
Kyiv is prepared to purchase additional air defense systems to better protect Ukrainian cities from Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during his evening address on April 11. The need for more air defenses was the focus of his address to the participants in the Ramstein-format summit held earlier in the day in Brussels, Zelensky said, calling it "the first priority." The president participated in the summit virtually, joining the meeting from Kryvyi Rih — Zelensky's hometown and the site of a deadly Russian missile attack last week that killed 20 people, including nine children. "The main thing for us is air defense, additional air defense systems, missiles for them," Zelensky said, delivering his address while sheltering underground in a local school where three of the victims studied. "To protect people's lives, to protect our cities. We are very much counting on the decisions of our partners – we need systems, they exist in the world, and we need a political decision so that air defense works, works here ... and many other of our cities and our communities." Zelensky also said he discussed the matter with U.S. President Donald Trump. "Ukraine is not just asking – we are ready to buy the appropriate additional systems," he said. Shortly after the April 8 missile attack on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky urged the U.S. to provide more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. The highly advanced U.S. Patriot systems have played a crucial role in protecting Ukraine's sky. They are capable of downing even the most advanced ballistic missiles, such as Kinzhals. During a March 19 call with Zelensky, Trump agreed to assist Ukraine in finding additional Patriot systems available in Europe. While Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a U.S.-brokered partial ceasefire on March 11, Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities did not abate in the month that followed. Russia launched 70 missiles, 2,200 Shahed-type drones, and 6,000 guided aerial bombs over the past 30 days, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on April 11. Ukraine has already agreed to accept a complete ceasefire on all hostilities as soon as Russia abides by the same terms. Russia continues to refuse. Read also: Ukraine war latest: US envoy Witkoff proposes giving Russia 'ownership' of Ukrainian regions, Reuters reports We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
