US Unveils $500 Million Military Package For Ukraine During 25th Ramstein Meeting

The United States has unveiled a new $500 million military aid package for Ukraine, according to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during a visit to Germany, where he chaired his final meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, known as the Ramstein group, on January 9.

“This Presidential Drawdown Authority package, valued at approximately $500 million, includes additional missiles for Ukrainian air defense, more ammunition, and more air-to-ground munitions, as well as other equipment to support Ukraine’s F-16s,” Austin said at the meeting.

In his speech, Austin reaffirmed the collective commitment to Ukraine’s freedom and security.

“Here again in Ramstein, I am determined to do all I can to help Ukraine live in freedom and security—and to forge a more just and decent world. And our work together must continue.”

Austin highlighted the importance of Ukraine’s struggle for democracy and freedom, emphasizing its global significance.

“Here is the fundamental truth: Ukraine’s fight matters to all of us. As I said here in Ramstein back at our first meeting in April 2022, Putin’s war is 'a challenge to free people everywhere.' And we all have a stake in ensuring that autocrats cannot place their imperial ambitions ahead of the bedrock rights of free and sovereign peoples. Ukraine is waging a just war of self-defense. And it is one of the great causes of our time.”

Austin praised allies for their recent contributions to Ukraine’s defense, mentioning Germany’s pledge of $680 million in military equipment, Norway’s commitment of over $2 billion, and the U.K.'s allocation of £3 billion annually. He also noted that Denmark, Estonia, and Latvia now lead in assistance to Ukraine as a percentage of GDP.

Chairing the Contact Group, he said, has been “one of the greatest honors of my life,” and he looks forward to what he described as another “very productive meeting.”

Earlier, reports emerged that at the upcoming 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), set to take place on January 9 at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base, participants planned to outline Ukraine’s defensive capabilities to support its defense forces through 2027.

UDCG created eight roadmaps for Ukraine to streamline security assistance efforts for Ukraine within each capability area, support the development of a credible defense and deterrence capability, as well as facilitate Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO.