Participants aim to define Ukraine's defence capabilities to support deterrence forces until 2027 during the upcoming 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 9 January.

Source : Pentagon website

Details : US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will travel from Washington to the Ramstein Air Base, where he will host the 25th UDCG meeting on 9 January.

Quote from Pentagon’s message : "At this milestone meeting, Secretary Austin will engage with defenсe ministers and senior military officials from around the world to discuss Ukraine's immediate battlefield needs, longer-term defenсe requirements and the important coordination being conducted through the capability coalitions.

The meeting will focus on the need to ensure continued delivery of key capabilities including air defence systems, artillery munitions and armoured vehicles, as well as efforts to enhance the defence industrial base."

Details : In addition, two senior US defence officials reported that coalition leaders will gather during the meeting to define Ukraine's defence capabilities and establish reliable deterrence forces by 2027.

The Pentagon reiterated that the UDCG, founded by Secretary Austin in response to Russia's unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, is a coalition of about 50 countries regularly meeting to address Ukraine's security needs.

There is a coalition leadership group within the broader UDCG that comprises eight capability coalitions, each focusing on specific military capabilities for Ukraine and led by at least two NATO member countries.

Quote from Pentagon representative : "The leaders of these coalitions will need to endorse roadmaps that articulate Ukraine's air force, armor, artillery, de-mining, drone, integrated air and missile defence, information technology and maritime security needs and objectives through 2027. 

These roadmaps are intended to enable donors to plan for and support Ukraine sustainably into the future."

Details : Responding to a question about concerns regarding the future of the UDCG if US support for the group decreases following the inauguration of the new administration on 20 January, officials emphasised that the multilateral nature of the UDCG and its coalitions would help strengthen the group's resilience in the future.

Quote from Pentagon representative : "We are very confident that the [group's] multilateral nature, which was absolutely baked in from the start by Secretary Austin [because of] his absolute commitment to multilateral work [and] also his knowledge and respect for the capabilities of those European countries meant that we were able to do more together with those aid capability coalitions than we could have alone."

"...the coalition leadership group will meet at the ministerial level to lay a sound foundation for the future of those coalitions."

"I can't speak for what the incoming administration [of President-elect Donald Trump] will decide about its role [within the UDCG], but I'm very confident of European commitment, ability, experience and extraordinary belief in the mission, and [I'm] confident that those capability coalitions will continue one way or another."

Details : Supporting the perspective of the first official, a second senior Pentagon official stated that while the 25th UDCG meeting will be Austin's last, the US Department of Defense will not wind down the group's work, it will continue.

The US Department of Defense also noted that since the UDCG's establishment in April 2022, the US, its allies, and partners have provided over US$126 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

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