The key issue that was resolved was the provision of equipment with a repair base and the training of technical specialists for each individual type of armored vehicles.
The ninth meeting of the contact group on the defense of Ukraine was held at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
One of the key problems that was solved at Ramstein-9 is the issue of logistical support for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, eight countries are ready to transfer Leopard tanks or have made a corresponding commitment. “A group of countries, in particular Germany, Poland, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands, are working together to transfer Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine,” the head of the Pentagon said.
In addition, according to Austin, the United States, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands are jointly transferring more than 90 T-72 tanks to Ukraine.
On February 13, it became known that the Bundeswehr began training Ukrainian soldiers on the Leopard 2 main battle tank. However, it is important to train not only tank crews, but first of all the technicians who will service the Challenger, Leopard, modernized T-72 tanks.
Therefore, the first key issue that was resolved was the provision of equipment with a repair base and the training of technical specialists for each individual type of armored vehicle.
The second key issue was the increase in the production of shells by NATO countries, including at the factories of the former Warsaw Pact. In particular, deliveries of both Soviet 152 mm shells and new, NATO standard 155 mm shells are being coordinated. France, together with Australia, will expand the production of 155 mm ammunition
The United States allocates $500 million specifically for the production of shells. This is another big plus of meeting in Ramstein. Because at the moment the defeat ratio is 1:3 in favor of the Russian side. Now the capabilities of the Ukrainian barrel and rocket artillery are significantly inferior to the Russian one. Rammstein 9 took place to correct this imbalance. In the US, the production of 155-mm shells will be increased to 240,000 in 2023. For comparison, Russia’s plans are 125,000. In addition, the issue of reopening factories for the production of 152-mm Soviet-style shells (in Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria) is being decided.
The third key positive of Ramstein is the solution to the issue of creating a multi-level air defense system. The issue of the transfer of the Franco-Italian SAMP / T, which can shoot down ballistic missiles, was resolved, which was problematic for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and why the Russians terrorized Ukraine with Iskanders, S-300, S-400, etc.
It is also important to change the rhetoric of the leading NATO countries. If a month ago they were cautiously talking about Russia’s red lines, now Blinken’s latest statements about the de-occupation of Crimea testify to tough political rhetoric regarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Ramsteins are happening more frequently now than they were at first, shattering the Russian myth that the West is tired of Ukraine.
At the opening of the Contact Group, Austin noted that within the framework of the Contact Group, the partners were able to accumulate $50 billion in lethal aid for Ukraine. For understanding, Ukraine’s annual defense budget is $4 billion.
NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg said that Russia’s war against Ukraine is now a “logistics competition” and called on countries to transfer military assistance to Ukraine as soon as possible.
In turn, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that the partners confirmed their readiness to transfer more air defense systems, tanks, artillery and shells, as well as organize further military training. At the same time, he added that not all agreements at Ramstein can be spoken about publicly: “a significant part should be left behind closed doors.”
source: opinions.glavred