The "Ramstein" meeting has begun in Brussels: Umerov announced the agenda

A meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the "Ramstein" format started in Brussels on February 12. Participants will discuss the current needs of the country and long-term solutions. This was stated by Ukraine's Minister of Defense, Rustem Umerov, as reported by the ministry's press service.

"I am starting work at the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in the "Ramstein" format in Brussels. This is an important step in strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and coordinating further actions of our allies," Umerov noted.

For the first time, the meeting is being chaired by the UK Secretary of State for Defense, John Healey. The new U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Ghegset, is also participating in the meeting.

The agenda includes:

• Stable and timely supply of military aid for 2025,

• Acceleration of supplies of critical weapons – air defense systems, aviation, ammunition,

• Investments in Ukraine's defense industry and joint projects with European partners.

Umerov emphasized that the participants of "Ramstein" will discuss not only Ukraine's current needs but also long-term solutions. These include:

• Expanding defense production in Ukraine,

• Funding for Ukraine's defense-industrial complex and the creation of new enterprises,

• Increasing the supply of weapons through the capacities of European defense industries.

The Minister of Defense also announced that this week will feature key events for Ukraine's security: the Ukraine-NATO Defense Ministers' Council meeting and the Munich Security Conference. Umerov will hold a series of bilateral meetings with defense ministers of allied countries to strengthen military cooperation and practical mechanisms of support for Ukraine.

"Ukraine is ready for negotiations to end the war. But a fair and lasting peace is only possible when Ukraine is strong on the battlefield," the Minister of Defense stressed.

Read also:

• Zelenskyy is ready for a territorial exchange with Russia in case of negotiations

• Russia changes tactics for missile strikes on Ukraine: an aviation expert shares details

• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant on the brink of blackout

• Russia expands its bridgehead in the Kupiansk area, and Ukrainian Armed Forces lack resources to counteract – an expert