Ramstein №17: what to expect from the meeting of Western defense ministers before the start of winter
The 17th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defense, better known as the Ramstein format, will take place tomorrow, November 22.
It is expected that the meeting will focus on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense and urgent needs at the front.
Read more about the 17th Ramstein meeting, the range of weapons Ukraine’s partners are going to discuss, and what the arrival of the heads of the US and German Defense Ministries to Ukraine on the eve of the event means in the article on ICTV’s Fakty.
When will the 17th Ramstein take place
The event is scheduled for Wednesday, November 22. It is expected to be held online, although some of the most influential defense ministers have arrived in Kyiv in person. These include Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
Despite Pistorius and Austin’s visits to Ukraine, most of the countries participating in the Ramstein will be broadcasting their speeches online.
The exact start time of the Ramstein remains unknown, but the event, as usual, will last several hours.
According to political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko, there is a certain symbolism in Pistorius and Austin’s visit to Ukraine.
– “There is symbolism, that’s for sure. Obviously, this is a gesture of support for Ukraine. On the one hand, it is a signal to Ukrainians that our Western partners will continue to support Ukraine, despite various publications, rumors and assumptions, etc. At the same time, it is a signal to Putin that military support for Ukraine will continue. We are not talking about negotiations right now, we are not talking about concessions, etc.
What topics will be discussed during the Ramstein
Earlier, Ilarion Pavliuk, head of the Defense Ministry’s Press and Information Department, said that the main topic of the 17th Ramstein would be strengthening air defense, as well as artillery and ammunition.
– It is already clear that the focus will be on preparing for the winter, in particular on air defense systems, artillery, and ammunition. But the needs of our military are constantly being clarified,” he emphasized.
Pavliuk also drew attention to the fact that the US has recently led the air coalition, and at the end of September, Charles Brown, who is a general in the Air Force, became the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
According to political scientist Fesenko, Ramstein is important this month, primarily as a working mechanism. Thanks to the meeting of the Contact Group for Support of Ukraine, the partner countries are able to clarify the needs of the Ukrainian side, coordinate logistical issues, etc.
– I think that the visits to Ukraine by the most influential defense ministers are also important in terms of assessing the current situation. They came to understand and get first-hand information about the military situation in Ukraine and the political situation. We need to know this not from Western media publications or telephone conversations, but by holding various meetings, evaluating and comparing information,” he said.
At the same time, Fesenko believes that it is equally important for ministers to feel the mood during the visit. In addition, they will discuss increasing defense production capacity between the countries.
Ramstein’s strategic session
Fesenko suggests that this Ramstein meeting could become a kind of “strategic session” to discuss the priorities for the coming months of the Russian-Ukrainian war.
– Perhaps it will be a brainstorming session. If so, it will be a special Ramstein, especially compared to the previous ones. But this is not a situation where decisions will be clearly formulated and the situation will change. This process is just beginning. I don’t know how long it will last, but now we need to decide on this strategy. That is why I believe that Ramstein will be one of the places where this strategy will be determined,” he said.
According to the political scientist, we should pay attention not only to the ministers’ visit, but also to the visit of the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, to the United States. There, Yermak met not only with the US political leadership, but also with political advisors from European countries.
– I think what is happening now-at different levels and in different negotiations-is the formation of a strategy. A joint strategy of Ukraine and the West for a new stage of the war, which is dragging on. A war that is now in the phase of positional warfare. Therefore, we need to think about how to proceed both militarily and politically. This problem is being discussed by defense ministers, and it was also discussed during the visit of the head of the Prosecutor General’s Office to the United States,” he says.
The formation of a new strategy is also indicated by a recent WSJ article, which describes the West’s need for a new long-term approach to the Russian-Ukrainian war, as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime is still firmly in place.
Are there any problems with aid to Ukraine?
Despite the problems with military aid from the United States and Slovakia, Fesenko believes that some aid flows to Ukraine are being equalized by Germany or other countries.
– It is impossible to completely close this (the issue of aid to Ukraine – Ed.). I think the bet is that the US will vote for military aid. I will be frank. I expect problems not with military aid. Here we need to decide how to act and what the future military strategy is. But we will inevitably have problems with budgetary aid. And this is no longer related to Ramstein,” he believes.
According to the political scientist, at this Ramstein, in particular, the parties will discuss which countries will be used to “level” military aid to Ukraine, given that the US Congress cannot vote for further support for the Ukrainian state.
Separately, Fesenko suggests that the issue of F-16s will be discussed, as well as the issue of long-range missiles for Ukraine.
