The 17th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, also known as the Ramstein meeting, convened on Nov. 23 and brought together around 50 countries to assure Ukraine that military and humanitarian assistance will continue to flow. Now, for the first time, Europe sits as Kiev’s largest donor, not the United States, reports the Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta, according to the TASS press review of Nov. 24.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov noted that by mid-December as part of a $1.4 billion military aid package from Germany, the Ukrainian army would receive IRIS-T air defense systems with guided missiles, a set of Patriots, additional 155mm artillery ammunition, as well as other weapons. It’s worth noting that Berlin had not announced sending more air defense systems earlier.
Umerov also said that the Netherlands would send €2 billion worth of military aid to Ukraine. At the Ramstein meeting, Estonia promised to donate $500,000 for the IT coalition dealing with cybersecurity in Ukraine. “Britain and Norway, as part of the Maritime Coalition, will look for ways to strengthen security in Black Sea,” TASS quoted Umerov as saying.
