Ramstein summit, NATO, Mark Rutte

Zelensky, NATO chief discuss air defense, arms production at Ramstein meeting

by Tim Zadorozhnyy January 9, 2025 8:42 PM 2 min read

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Jan. 9 (President of Ukraine / Official website)

This audio is created with AI assistance

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Jan. 9 to discuss strengthening Ukraine's air defense and obtaining Western funding for the country's arms production.

"The common task of our partners is to ensure a strong position for Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace. Today, we also discussed how NATO's platform can be used to reach this goal," Zelensky said.

Rutte reiterated the alliance's unwavering support for Kyiv.

"NATO is committed to continuing our support as you defend yourselves and fight tirelessly for the freedom we all hold dear," he said.

Zelensky emphasized involving NATO members in purchasing Ukrainian weapons under a model pioneered by Denmark. The Danish government became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.

Zelensky also met with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, focusing on battlefield dynamics, the evolving role of drones, and Ukraine's needs for various drone types.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), formed in April 2022 and comprising 57 countries, including all 32 NATO members, coordinates international military aid to Ukraine.

This meeting is expected to be the last in its current format before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Jan. 8.

During the meeting, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a $500 million aid package for Ukraine, which includes air defense missiles, ammunition, and equipment for F-16 fighter jets.

Zelensky is also scheduled for bilateral meetings during the summit, continuing efforts to bolster international support for Ukraine as the country seeks a stronger defense position and a pathway toward a just peace.

Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.Read more

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

Our goal: reach 20,000 members to prove independent journalism can survive without paywalls, billionaires, or compromise. Will you help us do it?

Can we reach 20,000 members?

Become a member

News Feed

12:13 AM

'War crimes have been committed' — Rubio admits Russia is an aggressor, declines to label Putin as a war criminal.

"War crimes have been committed, no doubt, and who is responsible for that, there will be a time and place for that accountability, but right now the job is to end the war," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

11:16 PM

Ukraine working on 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange with Russia, Zelensky says.

"We have to release all our people, unconditionally. We are trying to do the maximum we can. We are trying very hard," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

10:11 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Russian semiconductor plant making missile, jet parts hit in Ukrainian attack, military says

9:45 AM

(Updated: May 21, 2025 9:57 pm)

Russian semiconductor plant making missile, jet parts hit in Ukrainian attack, military says.

Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces struck Russia's Bolkhov semiconductor plant in Oryol Oblast, which is producing parts for Sukhoi warplanes and Iskander and Kinzhal missiles, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on May 21.

9:42 PM

Ukrainian officials deny Russian troop presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Serhii Lysak, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, called the online claims "fake" and said that the accompanying photograph allegedly showing Russian troops in the area was also fabricated.

9:28 PM

Iran's parliament ratifies 20-year strategic agreement with Russia.

While the pact does not include a mutual defense clause, it outlines commitments for both countries to cooperate against common military threats, enhance military-technical collaboration, and participate in joint military exercises, according to Reuters.

9:15 PM

Kursk incursion

Top commander’s resignation puts new scrutiny on Ukraine’s military leadership

8:44 PM

Trump claims 'progress' on ending Russia-Ukraine war.

"We are trying to settle Russia-Ukraine," U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters. "I spoke with President Putin for two hours the day before yesterday. I think we made a lot of progress. But that's a bloodbath."

8:25 PM

Ukraine dismisses Russian claims of full control over Kursk Oblast, says fighting ongoing.

"The statements by representatives of (Russia) about the alleged end of combat operations in Kursk Oblast do not reflect the actual situation," Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement.

7:42 PM

Ukrainian weapons

What happens to all the guns in Ukraine post-war?

7:22 PM

NATO summit in The Hague to focus on long-term support, lasting peace for Ukraine, Rutte says.

"We must ensure that Ukraine, while the fight continues, receives all possible collective support to be in the best possible position to continue," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said.

6:10 PM

(Updated: May 21, 2025 6:57 pm)

Russia intercepts drone attack on Moscow, prompting flight disruptions and emergency response.

As of 5 p.m. local time, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin claimed seven drones to be intercepted as they approached the Russian capital.

6:51 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 26

5:09 PM

Video

Historian Timothy Ash on the 'new West' after 'Trump shock.'

With the fading U.S. global leadership under Donald Trump, Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, and growing populism at home, Europe faces a stark choice: step up or fall into irrelevance. Speaking with the Kyiv Independent on May 16, British historian Timothy Garton Ash paints a picture of a West in transition.

12:36 PM

(Updated: May 21, 2025 4:50 pm)

Controversial Ukrainian ex-official Portnov shot dead in Madrid, source says.

Andriy Portnov, a former top official in Ukraine's ex-President Viktor Yanukovych’s administration, was shot dead by an unidentified attacker or attackers outside the American School in Madrid, Reuters reported on May 21, citing a source close to the investigation.

4:47 PM

Poland intercepts Russian sanctions-evading ship near critical Baltic power cable, Tusk says.

"After the effective intervention of our military, the ship sailed to one of the Russian ports," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.

3:47 PM

Almost 50,000 draft-age men detained trying to illegally cross border since 2022, Border Guard says.

The number of cases has "significantly increased" since the beginning of martial law, according to Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.

3:36 PM

Dan opposes Romanian peacekeepers in Ukraine but affirms pro-Kyiv course.

"First, to have a big operational support on Romanian territory, yes. To be part of the armies guaranteeing peace in Ukraine, no," Romanian President-elect Nicusor Dan told Politico.

3:11 PM

EU officially agrees on 150-billion-euro defense fund.

"SAFE is an advantageous, low-interest, multi-year loan guaranteed by the EU budget," the Council of the EU said.

2:51 PM

Fire breaks out at thermal power plant in Kyiv Oblast, 2 dead.

Rescuers continue to work at the scene, while the consequences of the accident are still being determined.

1:42 PM

Russia massing troops near Kharkiv Oblast ahead of possible attack, military warns.

"There is an accumulation of personnel closer to the state border, that is, there are attempts to involve the (Russian) personnel, obviously preparing for active assault operations. Our Defense Forces are ready to repel attacks," Andrii Pomahaibus, the chief of staff of Ukraine's 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade.

1:25 PM

Zelensky, NATO chief discuss air defense, arms production at Ramstein meeting

Independent journalism needs a community — not a paywall.

Can we reach 20,000 members?

Most popular

News Feed

Editors' Picks

Subscribe

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.