Europe
Austin, defense leaders to meet again at Ramstein to pledge more support for Ukraine
Stars and Stripes
April 17, 2023
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, listen to opening remarks by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — Defense ministers and senior military officials from the U.S. and some 50 partner nations helping Ukraine fight Russia will convene Friday at Ramstein Air Base for the latest round of talks.
The meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, hosted for the fourth time at Ramstein by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, may be a time for the U.S. to reassure allies following the leak of classified documents, a number of which relate to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old Massachusetts Air National Guard member, was arrested last week and charged under the Espionage Act as a result of the extensive breach.
NATO allies and partners have used the contact group forum to hammer out what resources and military weapons to collectively provide to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion Feb. 24, 2022.
Ukraine hopes that support soon will include Western combat aircraft, a request made most recently last week by Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal when he met with Austin at the Pentagon.
Shmyhal said Ukraine is building a “fighter jet coalition” and invited the U.S. “to become its most important participant,” according to a Defense Department statement.
“In modern warfare, air superiority is crucial,” Shmyhal said. “America can once again demonstrate its leadership by providing Ukraine with F-15 or F-16 aircraft.”
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov listens to a video message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting Jan. 20, 2023, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
Defense officials Boris Pistorius of Germany, U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Oleksii Reznikov of Ukraine give opening remarks on military cooperation during the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting Jan. 20, 2023, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. (Alexander Riedel/Stars and Stripes)
NATO partners have already handed over older Soviet-era warplanes. Poland already had sent eight MiG-29 fighter jets, and last week, Germany gave permission for the Poles to send five more from old East German stocks, according to German news outlet Deutsche Welle.
Slovakia also delivered all 13 MiG-29s it had promised Ukraine, the Slovak Defense Ministry said Monday, Associated Press reported.
The aircraft will help, but the country needs more modern and versatile combat planes to gain air superiority and strike ground targets, said Ukrainian air force spokesman Yuri Ihnat, independent news outlet the New Voice of Ukraine reported Monday.