The Minister of National Defense of Lithuania, Dovilė Šakalienė, participated in the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein format) in Germany, where she assured continued support for Ukraine and announced an upcoming transfer of €30 million for the demining coalition.
According to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense's website, during the meeting, Šakalienė urged countries supporting Ukraine to increase military assistance and help the fighting nation resist the aggressor.
The minister stated that Lithuania allocated 0.28% of its GDP to Ukraine in 2024 (210 million euros) and intends to continue this support. In the near future, an additional €10 million will be sent to Ukraine's defense industry, and €30 million will be transferred to the Demining Coalition Fund.
“We cannot afford to sacrifice Ukraine. We all know that we are not providing sufficient support for Ukraine to defeat the aggressor. The countries in the Ramstein format are collectively far stronger and wealthier than Russia. However, strength on paper is not enough. We are still too slow, acting as if the war in Ukraine is just an exercise, as if we do not hear Russia's threats against the NATO alliance. Every Russian tank destroyed on Ukrainian soil is a tank that will never enter our territory,” Šakalienė stated.
The meeting in Ramstein also included a gathering of coalition leaders, featuring defense ministers from eight countries. Minister Šakalienė presented the Lithuanian-Icelandic plan for demining activities, outlining the strategic goals and tasks facing the coalition.
The 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is taking place at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Thursday, December 9, after a long hiatus. The last, 24th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group was held on September 6 at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Leaders of capability coalitions within the Ramstein format approved eight “roadmaps” that define the key objectives for Ukraine’s Defense Forces through 2027. The coalition roadmaps outline Ukraine's strategic goals until 2027 and serve as a foundation for medium- and long-term support. We are also working to ensure that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are fully compatible with NATO forces, reported Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The first meeting at the Ramstein Air Base took place on April 26, 2022.