The Ramstein Air Base meeting was an international conference organized by the United States that took place on 26 April 2022 at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Russian invasion of Ukraine, particularly Ukrainian defense capabilities, as well as pledge and coordinate further support to Ukraine – including after the war. Representatives and senior defense officials from more than 40 nations attended, the majority of them NATO and EU members, but also including countries in Africa and Asia.
The meeting was part of a new Ukraine Defense Consultative Group.[1][2]
Participants and attendees
Over 40 nations were represented at the meeting, including both NATO and non-NATO members.[1] All countries part of NATO and/or the European Union participated.[3] Representatives from some nations, among them Israel and Qatar, participated at the meeting but did not appear on the official list of attendees.[1] According to the Washington Post, the inclusion of non-NATO member countries like Japan, Kenya and Tunisia was "part of an effort to extend substantive and symbolic support for Ukraine beyond Europe and the alliance".[1] Other non-NATO and non-EU attendees included Australia, Jordan, Liberia, Morocco, New Zealand and South Korea.[4][5][2]
The conference was organized with less than a week's notice.[6] Despite not organized under NATO auspices,[7] it was supposed to be attended by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.[8] However, he could not attend due to a cold.[2] While most countries had attendees physically present, South Korea and Japan joined virtually.[3]
Dignitaries in attendance
Ukraine – Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov; Lt. Gen. Yevhen Moisiuk
NATO member states
NATO – Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO Thomas Goffus
Albania – Defence Minister Niko Peleshi
Belgium – Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder
Bulgaria – Defence Minister Stefan Yanev
Canada – National Defence Minister Anita Anand
Croatia – Defence Minister Mario Banožić
Czech Republic – Defence Minister Jana Černochová
Denmark – Defence Minister Morten Bødskov
Estonia – Defence Minister Kalle Laanet
France – Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly
Germany – Federal Minister of Defence Christine Lambrecht
Greece – Minister for National Defence Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos
Hungary – Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő
Iceland – Minister for Foreign Affairs Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
Italy – Minister of Defence Lorenzo Guerini; ADM Giuseppe Cavo Dragone
Latvia – Defence Minister Artis Pabriks
Lithuania – Minister for National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas
Luxembourg – Defence Minister François Bausch
Montenegro – Defence Minister Raško Konjević
Netherlands – Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren
North Macedonia – Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska
Norway – Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram
Poland – Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak
Portugal – Minister of National Defence Helena Carreiras
Romania – Minister of National Defence Vasile Dîncu
Slovakia – Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď
Slovenia – Defence Minister Matej Tonin
Spain – Defence Minister Margarita Robles
Turkey – Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar
United Kingdom – Defence Minister Ben Wallace; Timothy Fraser
United States – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley; Gen. Tod Wolters; Dr. Celeste Wallander
Asia-Pacific partners
Middle Eastern partners
Israel – Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Dror Shalom[9]
Jordan – Defence Minister Bisher Al-Khasawneh
Qatar – Minister of Defense Khalid bin Mohammad Al Attiyah
African partners
Kenya – Lt. Gen Jonah Mwangi
Liberia – Minister of National Defense Daniel Dee Ziankahn
Morocco – Delegate-Ministry for the Administration of National Defense Abdellatif Loudiyi
Tunisia – Defence Minister Farhat Horchani
Meeting
At the meeting, Ukraine is said to have outlined its defense needs.[3] Several nations announced new shipments of heavy weapons to Ukraine at Ramstein, including Germany and Canada.[6][10]
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the organizer of the meeting, having visited Kyiv days earlier told the meeting that his "visit only underscored my sense of urgency, an urgency that I know that we all share", stating he would like "this whole group today to leave with a common and transparent understanding of Ukraine's near-term security requirements because we're going to keep moving heaven and earth so that we can meet them."[1] Behind closed doors, general Mark Milley is reported to have stated that "the next two, three, four weeks will shape the overall outcome of this fight",[1] stating "time is not on Ukraine's side".[4] Austin also stated that the conference sought "to help Ukraine win the fight against Russia's unjust invasion and to build up Ukraine's defenses for tomorrow's challenges", and that "we do want to make it harder for Russia to threaten its neighbors and make it less able to do that."[8][2] Austin also made a comment regarding a series of attacks that started the day before the meeting on 25 April in the Russian-backed breakaway republic of Transnistria, internationally recognized as part of Moldova. He more specifically declared that he was "not really sure what that's all about, but it's something that we will stay focused on".[11]
Against a backdrop of domestic and international pressure, the German defence minister Christine Lambrecht announced at Ramstein that Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft weapons were to be offered to Ukraine from industry stocks, stating "Germany, together with its allies, stands firmly at the side of its Ukrainian friends who are in dire need".[12][8][4] This marked a major change in German policy, having previously hesitated in sending heavy weapons to Ukraine.[8] Lambrecht also stated Ukrainian soldiers would be trained on the systems on German soil.[8]
Aftermath and reactions
According to Secretary of Defense Austin, the conference is to be transformed into a monthly "contact group" on Ukraine's self-defense.[8] Part of its focus is to organize co-operation in the fields of industry, to deal "with the tremendous demand that we’re facing for munitions and weapons platforms".[6] It is to be open to any country willing to contribute to Ukrainian defense capabilities, and it is expected by the U.S. that more nations will join the upcoming meetings virtually.[6]
After the meeting, the Ukrainian minister of defence, Oleksii Reznikov stated on Twitter that "We need weapons. Modern weapons. A large number of modern heavy weapons".[4][13] He also called the conference a "momentous meeting",[14] and that "tectonic philosophical shifts have occurred".[15]
Marcel Dirsus, a nonresident fellow at the Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University, called the German statements at Ramstein a "strong signal" from Germany, after a recent string of contradictory statements and perceived reluctance.[12]
The former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States, Volodymyr Yelchenko, has stated that the meeting may have marked the official founding of an "Anti-Putin Coalition".[16] Ukrainian political scientist and Vice-Rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University, Dmytro Sherenhovskyy, stated that the meeting marked significant changes in international security architecture.[15]
According to Euromaidan Press, "in some sense the Ramstein meeting demonstrates a gradual increase in the national leaders’ readiness to take responsibility in global leadership", also stating that "the meeting at the US Air Force base Ramstein has already been called historic for Ukraine."[15]
Ramstein-2
The second meeting in the Ukraine Contact Group was held virtually 23 May, 2022.[17] Five new countries joined the format: Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Ireland and Kosovo.[17] New donations announced at the meeting included Danish Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers,[18] additional artillery from Greece, Italy, Norway and Poland, as well as Czech helicopters, tanks and rocket systems.[19] According to Austin, 20 countries announced "new security assistance packages".[20] At the meeting, Zelensky presented a request for artillery systems with 150 kilometer range, against a promise to not strike targets within Russia.[21] Zelensky had previously stated he expected a decision on M270 MLRS rocket launcher system would happen at Ramstein-2.[22]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f DeYoung, Karen; Timsit, Annabelle (26 April 2022). "'Putin never imagined' global rally of Ukraine support, defense secretary says". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Herszenhorn, David M.; Bayer, Lili (26 April 2022). "US rallies global allies to help Ukraine repel Russia". Politico. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Brzozowski, Alexandra (27 April 2022). "Ramstein meeting gives birth to global 'contact group' to support Ukraine". Euractiv. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Stewart, Phil (26 April 2022). "At defence talks in Germany, U.S. says world galvanized against Russia's invasion". Reuters. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Okafor, Chiamaka (27 April 2022). "Four African countries invited to U.S-led Ukraine defence summit". Premium Times. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Machi, Vivienne (26 April 2022). "US, allies to meet monthly on Ukraine defense needs". defensenews.com. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Tirpak, John A. (22 April 2022). "Long-Term Ukraine Aid to Be Discussed at Ramstein Meeting". airforcemag.com. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f "US plans regular Ramstein Air Base meetings on Ukraine". Deutsche Welle. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ Ahronheim, Anna (26 April 2022). "Israel taking part in US-led Ukraine defense summit". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Austin Meets With Nations to Intensify Support for Ukraine". U.S. Department of Defense. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "U.S. unsure about cause of Transdniestria violence- Pentagon chief". Reuters. 26 April 2022.
- ^ a b Morris, Loveday (26 April 2022). "After hesitancy, Germany greenlights some heavy arms for Ukraine". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ DeYoung, Karen; Lamothe, Dan; Hudson, John; Cadell, Cate (26 April 2022). "U.S., allies promise to keep backing Ukraine in its war with Russia". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Oleksii Reznikov, Twitter". Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Hrudka, Orysia (29 April 2022). "Breakthrough at Ramstein: NATO unites to help Ukraine defeat Russia". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ "Зустріч у Рамштайні засвідчила створення антипутінської коаліції – Єльченко" (in Ukrainian). Ukrinform. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
- ^ a b Kaufman, Ellie. "US defense secretary holds virtual meeting on Ukraine with more than 40 countries". CNN. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ Axe, David (24 May 2022). "Ukraine's Getting Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles. They Could Free Up A Whole Tank Brigade". Forbes. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ Mahshie, Abraham (23 May 2022). "Second Meeting of Ukraine Defense Contact Group Adds Nations, Yields 'Sharper' Focus". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "20 Countries Pledge Fresh Military Aid To Ukraine, Says U.S. Defense Secretary". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ Ciriaco, Tommaso (24 May 2022). ""Non colpiremo in Russia". E Zelensky strappa il sì ai supermissili anti-nave" (in Italian). La Repubblica. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Zelensky expects a decision on MLRS for Ukraine to be taken at Ramstein-2 meeting". 21 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.