Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin will take part in the 18th virtual session of the Contact Group on Defense Issues in Ukraine in the Ramstein format, scheduled for Jan. 23, following his hospital discharge, as announced by Pentagon spokesperson General Patrick Ryder during a briefing.
The United States has dispelled any speculation about having to choose between Ukraine and Israel, Illarion Pavlyuk, spokesperson for the Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, said during a debriefing of the 17th Ramstein format meeting on Nov. 23.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov held substantive talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd James Austin on the sidelines of Ramstein on the needs of Ukrainian forces at the front and security guarantees for Ukraine.