Anti-Kremlin coalition growing: Reznikov heard important message at Ramstein format meeting

Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov, who took part in the NATO defense ministers meeting and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels today, said he was glad about the atmosphere of the 9th Ramstein format meeting and the solidarity with Ukraine expressed by its participants.

"I am very happy with today's meeting in Ramstein format. Today, 54 delegations were sitting at a big table at the meeting, therefore, the anti-Kremlin coalition is growing. I clearly heard the message from everyone: full support for Ukraine until its victory on the battlefield," Reznikov told journalists at the NATO headquarters.

He noted that the key phrases during this meeting contained three words: speed, timeliness, and stability of aid. Currently, it is about providing the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the necessary capabilities and about training entire units to use equipment coming from Western countries – the units that will liberate the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in the future. Reznikov quoted the U.S. Secretary of Defense: “Ukraine must win”, noting that the statement was made very categorically and without any assumptions.

"I heard a very important message from [NATO Secretary General] Jens Stoltenberg which was shared by everyone during the speeches. When someone starts talking about the risks of providing aid to Ukraine, in reality, there is only one risk in this context: if evil can win. This would be a very telling example for other totalitarian regimes. Therefore, the world should help Ukraine to win this war for the sake of peace and future security, which are of common interest," noted the defense minister of Ukraine.

He said that a separate report on transparency and accountability in the use of Western security assistance was presented at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting.

"Any of the [Western] societies should not doubt that all the weapons they supply are used on the battlefield. Today, a report was announced, including on inspections in the modern NATO systems that we use. We invited any country, if they have a need, to come to Ukraine and check, get to the place, to the battalion or unit, where the weapons of their country are located. The only restriction is security rules, whether they are ready to come, for example, to the battlefield. If not, we are ready to give them any documents," Reznikov said.

He also expressed his condolences to the people of Turkey in connection with the numerous human losses caused by the devastating earthquake.

"Ukraine and Ukrainians definitely know what it's like to bury tens of thousands of innocent civilians and clear away rubble. Our State Emergency Service staff went there despite the fact that we have an active phase of the war. They went to help the people of Turkey. This is solidarity, a normal way of life when neighbors help each other and do not attack each other," Reznikov emphasized.

As reported, a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers is underway in Brussels, focusing among other things on the security situation in and around Ukraine. Today, a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group under the auspices of the United States in Ramstein format took place at the Alliance headquarters. Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov took part in the meeting of NATO defense ministers and in the work of the Contact Group.