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Defense Minister Rustem Umerov hopes that the Ukraine Defense Contact Group format, known as “Ramstein,” will continue under the upcoming administration of Donald Trump.
He made this statement at the annual general meeting of the European Business Association (EBA) in Kyiv.
Umerov referred to his recent phone call with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, during which he emphasized the importance of the “Ramstein” format.
“We want it to continue… We discussed this with him [Austin]. We have requested that they discuss this with the new defense secretary as well. I will also send a letter to stress its importance for us,” the Defense Minister said.
He also noted that conversations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump “went well.”
The “Ramstein” format, led by the United States, was established in spring 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to coordinate military aid to Kyiv. It has united over 50 countries.
In November, the “Ramstein” meeting is expected to take place at the leader level for the first time, though it will be held online.
The meeting was initially set to take place at the U.S. air base of the same name in Germany, but President Joe Biden had to cancel his trip due to the approaching Hurricane Milton.
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