At a meeting of the Ukrainian defense contact group in Ramstein (Germany), U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called on allies to increase support for Ukraine, as the war is approaching a turning point. This was reported by The Guardian on Friday, January 20.
The U.S. Secretary of Defense called on allies to go further in their support for Ukraine, as "history is watching us."
"This is a crucial moment. Russia is regrouping, recruiting and trying to rearm. This is not the moment to slow down. It's time to dig deeper. But the Ukrainians are watching us. The Kremlin is watching us, and history is watching us. So we will not fail. And we will not hesitate in our determination to help Ukraine defend itself from Russia's imperial aggression," the head of the Pentagon emphasized.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov personally took part in the meeting at the American Ramstein base, and the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke at it via video link.
Austin said he was proud of the U.S. package, which he said provides "even more air defense capabilities to help Ukraine protect its cities and skies." He noted that about 50 countries have stepped up to help Ukraine defend itself and deter future threats.
"When Putin launched his reckless and unprovoked invasion 11 months ago, he thought that Ukraine would simply fall apart, and he thought that the world would simply look away. But Putin did not count on the courage of the Ukrainian people," Austin emphasized.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on January 20, the eighth meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine began at the American air base Ramstein.
On January 19, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace said that the British authorities intend to transfer 600 Brimstone missiles to Ukraine.
The Danish government also announced that it will transfer 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery systems to Ukraine.
A total of 11 NATO countries announced new military aid to Ukraine.
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