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UK, Germany to take over Ramstein group leadership as US abandons military aid to Ukraine

Germany and UK assume joint leadership of the 50-nation Ukraine Defense Contact Group as US halts military aid, highlighting growing transatlantic divisions over Ukraine’s future and NATO membership prospects.

byOlena Mukhina

06/03/2025

2 minute read

russia's weapons production outpaces eu factor four german defense minister warns germany's pistorius panel discussion friedrich ebert foundation arnsberg november 2024

Germany’s Defense Minister Pistorius at a panel discussion of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Arnsberg. November 2024. Photo: Thomas Banneyer / dpa

UK, Germany to take over Ramstein group leadership as US abandons military aid to Ukraine

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that he and his British counterpart, John Healey, will jointly chair the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format, UkrInform reports.

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group was initiated by the US to coordinate international efforts in providing military aid to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression in 2022. The meetings bring together more than 50 countries, including NATO member states. At the latest meeting, the US did not announce any aid packages for Kyiv and later halted the entire American support for Ukraine, claiming that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not want peace.

The next Ramstein meeting is scheduled for late March or early April.

Pistorius emphasized that a key issue for discussions now and in the coming weeks will be compensating for US military aid to Ukraine that has already been canceled or may be cut in the future.

He also noted that Germany has allocated approximately €4 billion in military assistance to Ukraine this year and stressed that German supplies remain consistent and reliable.

On 12 February, the Ramstein meeting was held in Brussels for the first time. Before the event even started, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegset declared that “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.”

This claim was directly countered by British Defense Minister John Healy, who insisted that “Ukraine’s rightful place is in NATO.”

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