German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius opened the 31st meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format and pledged further support, including in the area of air defense.
The meeting took place in Brussels on October 15, with representatives from 50 countries attending, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“We will continue and expand our support for Ukraine. With new contracts, Germany will provide additional support amounting to over EUR 2 billion. This will include a package totaling 500 million US dollars. The package addresses a number of urgent requirements of Ukraine. It provides air defense systems, Patriot interceptors, radar systems, and precision-guided artillery rockets and ammunition,” Pistorius said, thanking U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for intense negotiations that made this outcome possible.
Germany will also continue supporting Ukrainian air defenses through new contracts for two IRIS-T systems, including a large number of guided missiles as well as shoulder-fired air defense missiles. Additionally, Germany will supply modern anti-tank weapons, communication devices, and modern handheld weapons, Pistorius added.
He announced the launch of a large-scale project to modernize previously delivered Ukrainian weapon systems and extend their service life. According to Pistorius, this ensures that the supplied equipment will be adapted to battlefield changes and remain effectively used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The German Defense Minister also emphasized on expanding cooperation between the German and Ukrainian defense industries, announcing a memorandum of understanding on defense industry cooperation, which will be signed following this UDCG meeting
Pistorius stressed that support measures will only be effective if they match Ukraine’s needs and are coordinated with partners. Key priorities include aligning actions with the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, streamlined coordination processes, combining urgent aid with long-term capacity-building, and closer alignment with NATO.
He identified two factors for success: coordination, unity, and systematic approaches; and innovative ideas and creative solutions to overcome challenges.
The German minister noted that Russia has no intention of ending this war. Even the territories it has captured have come at a huge cost: 300,000 Russian casualties since the start of the year. “This is a horrible price for this inhumane and illegal war of aggression,” the minister stressed.
As previously reported, the 30th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format took place on September 10.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that after the Ramstein meeting, Ukraine secured new agreements with international partners, including funding for U.S. weapons purchases, expanded production of Ukrainian drones, and new air defense systems.