Media representatives are watching the meeting of the “Ukraine Contact Group” at the “Ramstein Air Base” between Ramstein-Miesenbach and Kaiserslautern on Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his first-ever appearance in person at the 24th Arms Suppliers Conference at the US military base in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate. On Friday, he called on the so-called “Western partners” of the Contact Group to deliver to Ukraine all the weapons already promised. The “West” needs “courage, determination and far-reaching decisions” to “end Russian air terrorism.” He would not discuss publicly how many “Patriot” batteries Ukraine has already received. More, however, have been promised and not yet delivered.
Zelensky has once again demanded permission to strike targets deep in Russia’s hinterland. “Russian cities must understand that Russia, more than its soldiers, must strive for peace,” Zelensky said. He announced that he would organize a second “peace summit” in the fall, to which he would “invite” Russia. Moscow has already repeatedly refused to participate in the talks on “unrealistic terms.”
The response from NATO ministers, including U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, was somewhat more cautious. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) announced that six more Type 2000 self-propelled howitzers would be delivered this year and six more next year. Austin mentioned a new $250 million military aid package that had just been approved. News Agency Reuters Washington reported that a significant portion of the $7.8 billion in defense equipment approved in April has not yet been delivered. The reason for this is that the United States did not promise Ukraine conventional weapons, but rather promised funds for orders from the American arms industry. But production takes time. After his appearance in Ramstein, Zelensky wanted to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt am Main and travel to Italy.
