The Ukraine Defense Contact Group, now chaired by Britain and Germany, met virtually today and agreed to rush through air defense weaponry to Ukraine ahead of President Donald Trump’s 50-day deadline against Russia, which comes on Sept. 2. “Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large-scale NATO weapons transfers and committed to getting these “quickly distributed to the battlefield,” U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey told the meeting. “The U.K. government backs this policy, and we will play our full part in its success to bolster Ukraine’s immediate fight and to support our own and wider European security.” He called on members of the group “to step up in turn with a ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table.”
Healey and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius announced that Germany would finance €170 million in U.K.-led procurement of air defense ammunition for Ukraine, reported Politico. Germany will also pay for and donate 220,000 rounds of 35-millimeter ammunition for the Gepard anti-aircraft gun system and procure long-range Ukrainian-made drones. Europeans are also still working on a recent pledge to provide five Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. “How we can achieve that is something we will coordinate closely ... within the next few days,” Pistorius said, thanking Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Norway for their involvement.
