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Media: Next Ramstein summit to be held on April 26

by Elsa Court and The Kyiv Independent news desk April 22, 2024 5:42 PM 1 min read

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov during the 20th Ramstein-format meeting in Germany on March 19, 2024. (Rustem Umerov/Facebook)

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The next Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will take place on April 26, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren reportedly told European defense ministers on April 22.

"At the end of the week, there will be a Ramstein format meeting," Ollongren said, according to European Pravda.

"So this is an important week. Everyone needs to step up their efforts," Ollongren reportedly said.

The U.S.-led UDCG comprises over 50 countries, including all 31 NATO members, and meets regularly to coordinate military aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.

The next meeting, which will be online, will take place exactly two years after the first Ramstein-format summit was held on April 26, 2022, at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

The last UDCG was held on March 19, during which Germany announced new military assistance for Ukraine worth $540 million.

While the UDCG is led by the U.S., the group is considering transferring its leadership to NATO control to shield it from a potential Donald Trump presidency, Politico reported earlier in April.

Authors: Elsa Court, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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