Volodymyr Zelenskyy is travelling to personally negotiate long-range missiles and air defence systems. Next Friday, Zelenskyy is expected to take part in the Ramstein meeting at the US air base of the same name in Germany, Spiegel reports.
The Contact Group meeting will take place at the Ramstein military base in Germany. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will also attend.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit will likely make the meeting more political. Military expert Ivan Stupak in an exclusive commentary Komersant ukrainskyi
notes that the President of Ukraine has high hopes for the United States, Britain, Germany and France. After all, these are the countries that can provide Ukraine with high-quality, high-tech weapons that will help on the front line.
“These are long-range missiles, air defence systems and, of course, political permission to use all this on the territory of Russia. The whole Ramstein will be focused on this. The main thing is to have political permission,” Ivan Stupak
First and foremost, Ukraine needs permission from the United States, Stupak says. France, the UK and Germany rely on the decision of the White House. If such a decision is made, it is very likely that other countries will immediately grant their own similar permits.
“Germany may still balk somewhere, but still. I am counting on it, on getting such a permit. After all, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is gradually losing his influence in the White House. Kamala Harris is on the horse, forming a new team. So we have to get this political permission in the near future,” Ivan Stupak
I would like to add that on the eve of Ramstein, Boris Pistorius met with the Minister of Defence of Ukraine Rustem Umerov. During the talks in Berlin, the head of the German Ministry of Defence assured his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov of Germany’s support “without any ifs and buts”. This was reported by the German Embassy in Ukraine on social network X.
“Air defence remains the focus of German support. This year we will deliver IRIS-T systems, including ammunition and Cheetahs. We will continue to help even after that – without any ifs and buts,” Boris Pistorius
Berlin said that by attending the Ramstein meeting, Zelenskyy wanted to clearly outline the seriousness of the situation. Let me remind you that this is the 23rd meeting of defence ministers from different countries in this format. The previous one took place on 20 May.
Author – Anastasia Fedor