SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 – Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., today reaffirmed the commitment of the U.S. and other nations to aiding Ukraine at the 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein, Germany.
The UDCG, a coalition of some 50 nations that meet regularly to discuss Ukraine’s security needs, first met in April 2022 as a result of Austin’s efforts to assemble the group after Russia had invaded Ukraine two months earlier.
Austin began the afternoon meeting by welcoming the UDCG’s special guest, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“Your forces and your people have inspired the world, and you have seen firsthand how this contact group has moved heaven and earth to get Ukraine what it needs,” Austin told Zelenskyy.
“On behalf of everyone here, we hear your urgency, and we share it,” Austin continued. “This coalition of some 50 nations of goodwill stands united and firm; and today, we’ll push even harder to step up our support for Ukraine.”
“This coalition has been indivisible in supporting Ukraine to repel Russian aggression,” Brown said at a press conference following the meeting.
“The principles we are defending — the right to self-determination, the sanctity of national borders, and the rule of law — are the very foundations of global peace and stability,” the chairman continued.
“I very much appreciate [the UDCG] continuously being with [Ukraine] since the start of this war,” Zelenskyy told those UDCG members in attendance, adding that it’s thanks to the bravery of the Ukrainian people and the support of the UDCG that Ukraine has been able to continue resisting Russia’s aggression.
During his initial remarks, Austin extolled the many nations that compose the UDCG and have provided more than $106 billion in support to Ukraine for the past 2 1/2 years.
“I’m … deeply grateful to the allies and partners who have given Ukraine’s forces the tools to defend themselves and their country,” he said, noting that contributing UDCG countries have supplied Ukraine with air defense, armor, artillery ammunition and, recently, F-16 fighter jets.
“As a percentage of [gross domestic product], a dozen of our allies actually contribute more to Ukraine’s self-defense than the United States,” Austin noted, “and we continue to see impressive new security assistance commitments.”
Though both Austin and Brown had strong praise for the progress the UDCG has made in supporting Ukraine, both men pointed out there is much work to be done.
“We cannot stop now,” Brown said. “[The Ukrainian people] have fought courageously … over the past 2 1/2 years; and with the Ukraine Defense Contact Group’s assistance, they will continue to withstand Russia’s attacks and remain a free, independent and democratic nation.”
“Today, we stood up again for our values and our security,” Austin said during the post-meeting press conference.
“The members of this contact group understand what’s at stake, and we won’t back down.”
By Matthew Olay, DOD News