A strategic meeting of the Defense Advisory Group of Ukraine with the participation of more than 40 countries, including non-NATO members, is being held at the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. This was reported by "European Truth".
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov is also present at the meeting.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin opened the talks and called the meeting historic, noting that its goal is to help Ukraine to win the fight against Russia’s unjust invasion and to help build up Ukraine for tomorrow’s challenges.
He said that after his visit to Kyiv he was convinced of the urgency of Ukraine's defense needs, this opinion is supported in many capitals.
In his speech, Austin also noted Ukraine's courageous opposition to the Russian invasion for 62 days. He stressed that Russia is waging war of choice to indulge the ambitions of Putin , but Ukraine is fighting a war of necessity to defend its democracy, its sovereignty and its citizens.
"But the stakes go far beyond Ukraine and even Europe. The Russian invasion is unjustified, irresponsible and illegal, it is an attack on a rulet-based world order and a challenge to all free people around the world." this fight against imperial Russian aggression, "he said.
Austin noted that since the start of the full-scale war, the United States and its allies have raised more than $ 5 billion of military aid to Ukraine, United States provided $ 3.7 billion.
" My trip to Kyiv reinforced my admiration for the way that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are deploying these capabilities. Ukraine clearly believes that it can win and so does everyone here. Ukraine needs our help to win today. And they will still need our help when the war is over."- said the head of the Pentagon.
He noted that the United States will "move heaven and earth" to support Ukraine.
As it was noted, German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht intends to offer the supply of Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine during a meeting with allies.