Britain to call for 50-day campaign to arm Ukraine during Ramstein meeting
Kyiv • UNN
The UK Secretary of State for Defence will initiate a "50-day campaign" to arm Ukraine at the Ramstein meeting to force Putin to the negotiating table. This initiative supports Donald Trump's proposal for an ultimatum to Russia by September 2.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey will call for a "50-day campaign" to arm Ukraine when he chairs the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) (also known as "Ramstein") meeting on Monday. This is reported by UNN with reference to The Telegraph.
Details
Healey is expected to state that the West must again strengthen its military support for Ukraine to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
US President Donald Trump has already threatened to impose "very strict" tariffs on Russia if it does not agree to a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days after the White House chief announced the sale of "first-class" NATO weapons, which could then be transferred to Ukraine.
On Monday, Healey will use the "Ramstein" meeting to support Trump's proposal and promise that the UK will "play its full part in its success to support Ukraine's immediate fight."
Calling for greater support from Western allies, Healey is expected to say: "Alongside this, the US has started a 50-day countdown for Putin to agree to peace or face devastating economic sanctions. As members of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, we must, in turn, step up a '50-day campaign' to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table."
Monday will be the fourth time Healey has led the UDCG, and the third time with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
The group, which brings together defense ministers and officials from Ukraine's allies, was led by the US until Trump came to power and began to argue about American support for Ukraine and European security.
Healey's comments came after the Ministry of Defence confirmed that the UK had sent £150 million worth of air defence missiles and artillery shells to Ukraine in the last two months.
The deliveries are part of a commitment to spend £700 million on air defence and artillery ammunition for Ukraine this year, as well as other funding to provide more drones, which have become a key weapon in the war with Russia.
The UK has supplied Ukraine with 50,000 drones in the last six months, with another 20,000 coming from a coalition of countries led by the UK and Latvia.
Further commitments are expected at Monday's UDCG, as Germany and the UK will agree to purchase more air defence missiles, using... 170 million euros in funding from Berlin.
Last week, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "very saddened" by the UK's lack of interest in Ukraine, adding that defending its interests was his top priority.
At an event for Ukrainian veterans at the country's embassy in London, Johnson told The Telegraph: "Interest in Ukraine is very low now. I'm quite sad about that. I mean, it kind of comes and goes, but for me, it's the main thing. The main thing."
Addition
Lieutenant General Oleksiy Hrynkevych called on NATO countries to adopt Ukrainian experience in implementing innovations in the field of defense. He emphasized the importance of cooperation between the military and the defense industry for the prompt supply of equipment.