Anniversary of "Ramstein": challenges and transformations that the format has undergone

Today, April 27, the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine, also known as the "Ramstein" meeting, celebrates its third anniversary. UNN has collected the main events around "Ramstein" over the year and discussed its prospects with Serhiy Kuzan, head of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation.

History of the creation of the "Ramstein" format

The first meeting in this format took place after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on April 27, 2022. The meeting was held at the NATO air base in Germany and initiated the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine to fight against Russia. In total, 27 meetings of Ukraine and its partners in the "Ramstein" format have already taken place.

Key achievements and decisions of "Ramstein" over the past year

The last "Ramstein" meeting took place on April 11, 2025. In particular, it announced the creation of a new coalition of capabilities for electromagnetic warfare "to enhance Ukraine's capabilities in countering drones, protecting communications, and identifying and destroying enemy communications, thereby protecting civilians and soldiers."

Also, the participants of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine (in the "Ramstein" format) announced commitments to military assistance for Ukraine in the amount of more than EUR 21 billion, which is a "record" increase in military funding for the country.

Among other key and important decisions based on the results of "Ramstein" during this year are:

·       approval of Ukraine together with its allies of 8 roadmaps that define the key goals of the Defense Forces of Ukraine until 2027. These maps define strategic goals and should be the basis for medium- and long-term support for Kyiv;

·       statement by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius at the meeting on the transfer of another 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine by Germany and other countries;

·       allocation by the drone coalition of EUR 20 million for reconnaissance drones for Ukraine

·       announcement by the United States of a new aid package worth $500 million (air defense missiles, air-to-air missiles and equipment for F-16 aircraft).

The impact of "Ramstein" on Ukraine's defense capabilities

The Contact Group currently includes more than 50 countries, which have collectively announced about $170 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stressed that this is a reinforcement that has already played a crucial role on the battlefield.

In particular, it was within the Contact Group that Ukraine received Patriot, SAMP-T and IRIS-T air defense systems, HIMARS, and Leopard tanks. F-16 and Mirage aircraft in the Ukrainian sky are another testament to this support.

Within the framework of "Ramstein", 9 capacity coalitions have also been formed: aviation, naval, air defense/missile defense, artillery, armored, drone, IT coalition, demining coalition and EW coalition.

New stage and change of chairmanship

In February, there were concerns about the future of "Ramstein", as US President-elect Donald Trump did not state whether he would continue to lead the American group after the inauguration on January 20.

It later became known that the United States would withdraw from chairing the "Ramstein" meetings. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin last chaired the meeting on January 8, 2025.  America was replaced by Great Britain and Germany, now they are co-chairing. However, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov noted that the United States remains an important member of the Contact Group.

Thus, on February 12, the United States did not chair the meeting of the contact group on defense of Ukraine ("Ramstein") for the first time. The meeting was then chaired by  British Defense Minister John Healey.

However, the new US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was still present at the meeting.

A few days ago, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is receiving from America the military aid that Congress  voted for a year ago. There was no discussion of new aid packages.

The role of individual participating countries in "Ramstein" in supporting Ukraine

The Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine includes more than 50 countries, headed by Great Britain and Germany.

In 2023, a new Coalition of Ground-Based Air Defense Systems was announced. Its leaders are Germany and France. In total, 20 countries joined. A  Maritime Coalition was also announced, within which Britain and Norway should look for  ways to enhance security in the Black Sea.

In February 2024, the Coalition for Integrated Air and Missile Defense officially began its work, with 15 countries joining the meeting, a coalition of drones with 9 countries joining, and a demining coalition with 15 countries joining.

At that time, work began on the joint production of ammunition.

In May 2024, Spain promised to deliver another 19 Leopard 2A4 tanks within a year.

The Netherlands will transfer YPR infantry fighting vehicles equipped with remote weapon stations for fire support on the battlefield.

In January 2025, Canada pledged to provide assistance of CAD 440 million (CAD 100 million for the purchase of Ukrainian weapons under the "Danish model").

Great Britain, together with its NATO allies, promised to transfer 30,000 new drones worth GBP 45 million.  Norway - NOK 700 million for the purchase of drones.

Germany announced the transfer of  6 IRIS-T air defense systems and will provide 50 interceptor missiles to these systems during 2025.

Iceland  pledged to finance  the production of Ukrainian weapons under the "Danish model" in the amount of EUR 2 million.

Challenge and prospects of the "Ramstein" format

Serhiy Kuzan, Head of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, analyzed whether the US withdrawal weakened the "Ramstein" format and what its prospects are.

It is very good that the "Ramstein" format is alive at all. It was a US initiative, uniting more than 50 countries. The US coordinated the search for equipment, weapons, and ammunition, so after their departure from the chairmanship, there were great fears that the coalition itself would be ineffective. Instead, NATO structures took over the initiative (US - ed.). Since last year, since the summer NATO summit, "Ramstein" has become a political coordination platform, and the implementation of the results has increasingly shifted to NATO structures"

He noted that Britain and Germany are now effectively co-chairing the new format of the coalition.

Britain as the engine, Germany as the largest industry and the country with the greatest potential and, of course, with the most money. The US has shown that it is physically removing itself. However, all the coalitions that have been developed continue to work. British Defense Secretary John Healey announced a figure of EUR 21 billion. Therefore, it is about the fact that Europeans are increasing their defense spending, they are doing it gradually, but at the same time they are investing in Ukraine. The war requires significant resources, significant production, the search for ammunition, weapons, equipment, and all this leads to increased spending

Kuzan stressed that the defense against Russia during the war, Ukraine's intransigence, and its ability to fight have actually transformed the entire coalition called "Ramstein".

It is Ukraine that sets a new trend in the Western, not just defense-industrial complex, but actually in the military policy of Europe. That is, we are talking about a large security policy. Our need during a war of this scale and the interaction of this coalition have determined its viability

Kuzan recalled the creation of 9 capability coalitions within the "Ramstein" framework: aviation, naval, air defense/missile defense, artillery, armored, drone, IT coalition, demining coalition and EW coalition.

They all worked specifically, involving their own experts, military specialists, and employees of their defense structures. This is an indicator not only that the "Ramstein" coalition lives, but also that it is developing. That is, we see that new challenges force us to look for answers and adequate structures in order to coordinate assistance, that is, in fact, to respond to challenges

The expert noted that Europe's existing industrial and military capacities are insufficient to adequately respond to the war against Russia. Therefore, according to him, "Ramstein" continues to exist as a coordinating body.

"Europe is becoming more independent, that is, we see that the lion's share in the search for any assistance is already taking place. This is already a prototype of interaction in a broader format. I think that it will be possible to talk about the creation not now, but in the distant future, of European security institutions, possibly joint associations, defense-industrial complex concerns, joint commands, joint logistics structures. That is, in fact, we are talking about a European NATO. Although at the same time, the structures themselves", - Kuzan said.