On April 26, at the American Ramstein Air Base in Germany, a meeting was held between representatives of the defense departments of more than 40 countries, including non-NATO countries. Ramstein Air Base is the headquarters of the US Air Force in Europe and one of the largest NATO bases on the continent. It is located 10 km west of Kaiserslautern.
The meeting was held to coordinate military assistance and support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. In his opening remarks, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin called the meeting “historic” and expressed confidence in the possibility of Ukraine’s victory under the conditions of proper international support.
During the meeting, Germany announced its readiness to supply heavy equipment to Ukraine. However, consultations with the participation of the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov were held behind closed doors.
ICTV Facts collected the reaction of the world media, which analyze the results of the meeting at the Ramstein airbase.
The British The Guardian began the article with the words of Lloyd Austin, who said that the West is preparing to help Ukraine on a “long path” and will take steps to increase rearmament to help the country, which is at war.
– Although NATO has repeatedly stated that it would not enter the war to fight against Russia, Western politicians have begun to say that their goal was to help Ukraine decisively defeat its neighbor so that it did not threaten Kyiv or other neighbors.
Attention is also drawn to assistance to Ukraine from partners and discussions on coordinating future arms deliveries in addition to the $5 billion already allocated.
The American newspaper The Washington Post called Germany’s decision to send dozens of armored anti-aircraft vehicles “a major political shift for a country that has hesitated because of fear of provoking Russia“.
The authors of the article write that Germany’s decision indicates “a further escalation of the war and disappointment in diplomacy“. But on the other hand, Germany’s transition to armament is also seen as a powerful confirmation of the Biden administration’s claim that they want to see Russia not only lose in Ukraine but seriously weakened as a result of the war Putin launched.
The New York Times notes that during a meeting at Ramstein Air Base, US officials urged more countries to provide Ukraine with weapons at a faster pace as it prepares for the next phase of its defense against Russian aggressors.
The authors note that the meeting was attended by high-ranking defense officials from NATO and non-Alliance countries, who were shown detailed maps of Russian troops concentrated in the south and east of Ukraine.
Speakers included General of the Army Mark A. Milley, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and General of the Air Force Todd D. Walters, senior US military officer in Europe.
– Time is not on the side of Ukraine. The outcome of this battle, right here today, depends on the people in this room, – Milley said.
US officials say a ground battle that will be the turning point in the war in Ukraine is brewing.
It is noted that the Ukrainian delegation during a meeting in Germany, led by Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, thanked the partners and called for more artillery and weapons to repel Russian bombardments and stop the advance on the ground.
The German SWR Aktuell notes the readiness of all the representatives of the countries gathered at the Ramstein airbase to do more than before to help Ukraine in the fight against Russia.
Particular attention is focused on Germany’s decision to transfer 50 Gepard tanks to Ukraine. After all, Ukraine’s need for ammunition and weapons systems is enormous.
The recent verbal threats of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the third world war and the use of nuclear weapons were not ignored. Lloyd Austin called any talks about the possible use of nuclear weapons “very dangerous and useless“. In particular, he noted that: Nobody wants a nuclear war. Nobody can win it. The head of the Pentagon stressed that the United States is doing everything possible so that the war does not get out of control beyond the borders of Ukraine.
The French Le Figaro calls the goal of a meeting of defense representatives from more than 40 countries in Germany both “simple and dangerous“. But it draws attention to the position of Germany, which, three months later decided on the expedited transfer of heavy weapons to Kyiv.
The publication notes that Moscow misunderstood this meeting once again and accused NATO of entering the war.