Next meeting in Ramstein format will be held for first time not under US leadership – media

The next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format) will be held for the first time not under the representation of the United States of America. The United Kingdom will chair the meeting.

The British publication The Times reported this, citing sources.

The publication's interlocutors said that the 26th meeting in the Ramstein format, scheduled for February 12, will be held under the representation of British Defense Minister John Healey.

According to them, Washington turned to London with a corresponding request the day before.

The publication writes that the U.S. refusal to chair may be due to the fact that the administration of President Donald Trump has not yet decided on its position on Ukraine and the fate of military aid.

At the same time, one of The Times' interlocutors said that the U.S. refusal to take the lead at the Ramstein format meeting may be temporary, as the new U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth needs time to get used to it.

He added that Hegseth will be present at the contact group meeting on February 12.

As the Ukrainian News agency earlier reported, on January 8, 2025, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz suggested that the 25th Ramstein format meeting could be the last due to uncertainty over the fate of U.S. military assistance to Ukraine.

And on January 9, European Foreign Minister Kaja Kallas said that the European Union is ready to lead military support for Ukraine if the U.S. does not want to do so.