photo: Kyiv city council
[For urgent updates please follow Ukrainian Freedom News on Telegram]
Last week, we had an intensive dialogue with international partners in Brussels. At the head of the Ukrainian delegation, I took part in the sixth meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which is known in our country as the «Ramstein format», and in the informal meeting of defense ministers of NATO countries.
We also held a number of meaningful bilateral negotiations, in particular, with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and heads of defense agencies from the USA, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Poland.
Based on the results of the communication, I will note the following points.
In fact, there was no topic of the so-called «referendums» that Russia simulated in the temporarily occupied territories. No one took this farce seriously, it was only mentioned in passing a couple of times.
Read also: Positive emotions are vital in times of war. The excerpt from Dmytro Kuleba’s book
These «referendums» did not in any way shake the willingness of our partners to support the steps to liberate our land and reach the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine. Moreover, they’ve strengthened the perception of the Kremlin as a meeting place for international criminals.
Since it was «Rammstein-6», I invited my colleagues to evaluate the path we have travelled together in six months.
HIMARS
During this time, the Defense Forces of Ukraine received the following Western-style weapons:
the first of four air defense systems IRIS-T, which already protects our skies;
several dozen MLRS systems of three types (M142 HIMARS, M270, Mars II). In the near future, we expect replenishment in this «family» – both with new names and quantitatively;
hundreds of 155-mm caliber (M777, FN70, PzH 2000, M109, Krab, Caesar, Zuzana) and 105-mm caliber (M101, L119) artillery systems;
hundreds of armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles (including M113, VAB, FV 103 Spartan);
hundreds of armoured vehicles (including Bushmaster, Iveco, Mastiff, Husky, Ford, MRAP);
hundreds of mortars;
thousands of anti-tank missile systems (including JAVELIN, NLAW, MILAN, TOW, BILL, HELLFIRE);
more than a thousand portable anti-aircraft missile systems (including Stinger, Piorun, Mistral, Martlet, Starstreak, Stormer);
dozens of radars of various types;
dozens of UAVs;
HARM anti-radar missiles;
Harpoon anti-ship systems;
thousands of different types of small arms and much more.
This is a huge, invaluable help.
Soon, we expect the delivery of the first NASAMS air defense systems, and our soldiers are finishing mastering the equipment.
Air defense system NASAMS
In addition, thousands of our soldiers have undergone military training, and tens of thousands are preparing for exercises in partner countries.
There are other transformations:
we implement the NATO LOGFAS system for accounting and logistics;
according to my decision, the defense procurement system is undergoing reformation according to NATO principles;
we have mastered more than 300 NATO standards, etc.;
we are carrying out one of the largest transformations of the defense forces since the Second World War. Moreover, we are doing it during the active phase of hostilities.
Therefore, when I say that Ukraine joined NATO de facto, I have many arguments.
Instead, against the background of all the above, there are fewer and fewer arguments not to provide Ukraine with fighter jets and tanks. I am sure that these arguments will soon end altogether. After all, Ukraine proved not only the ability to use the provided weapons extremely effectively on the battlefield, but also demonstrated high responsibility and unwavering compliance with obligations.
Read also: Assistants and the traitors. The picture of support for Ukraine in the world leader’s speeches
When I had the honor to speak before the defense ministers of NATO countries, I emphasized the following:
Ukraine will definitely not remain «neutral», Kremlin lobbyists should not hope for that.
The course towards Euro-Atlantic integration is enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine, and the recent application for membership is an expression of the sentiments of more than 70% of citizens who unequivocally support and seek to realize Ukraine’s right to participate in the system of collective security.
Ukraine’s application for membership is our clear signal in response to Russia’s recent attempts to annex occupied parts of Ukraine illegally.
Massive Russian shelling of peaceful cities was a blunder by the Kremlin, which is worse than a crime. The Alliance could respond decisively to these actions by demonstrating its readiness to implement without further delay the decisions of the 2008 Bucharest Summit regarding Ukraine’s future membership.
We believe that Ukraine is ready for such an accession process in terms of compliance with Alliance standards and the level of cooperation.
It must be admitted that the only thing missing today for inviting Ukraine to the Alliance is the political will of the NATO member states.
We realize that it will take time to achieve unanimous agreement from all thirty allies.
The brutal Russian attack on civilian infrastructure pushed for political changes, which the Ukrainian team had been working on at the technical level since August. We raised the issue of organizing a three-tier air defense/anti-missile defense system in Ukraine both in correspondence and during telephone conversations, and also at Ramstein-5 meeting. Therefore, our partners had just a few days to formulate the specifics.
Immediately following the results of Ramstein-6, Ukraine’s great friends – US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley – publicly identified the main priority of providing assistance in the creation of an integrated anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense system for Ukrainian skies.
Read also: «Nothing changes for Ukraine. We keep on liberating our land and people,» – Dmytro Kuleba
It’s a strong signal received by more than 50 countries, which are now considering options for participation in this work at a practical level.
I have already expressed my sincere gratitude to the Minister of Defense of Spain, Margarita Robles Fernández, for the very quick decision to provide the HAWK systems. General Mark Milley mentioned these systems after Ramstein. We sent the first inquiries about these systems about 2 months ago.
CROTALE air defense system
That is, at Ramstein, results were recorded, being preceded by quite a long work, and the decisions were not spontaneous:
The UK and the Netherlands have already announced their intention to provide additional missiles for the air defense/missile defense system, for which I thanked my colleagues Ben Wallace and Kaisa Ollongren.
There is an intensive dialogue with French friends regarding the CROTALE air defense system. We also hope for decisions to be made regarding the SAMP-T complexes.
We also particularly emphasized the danger of Iranian drones, which pose a threat not only to Ukraine. According to our intelligence, there were about 300 of them a week ago, but the total contract with the Russians is for 2,400 pieces. If there is no strong joint response, the practice of terrorist attacks with the help of drones, which can cover hundreds of kilometres, may spread and pose a direct danger to all countries of the free world.
As the mayor of Kyiv Vitalii Klitschko reported, a woman, a man and a young couple – a husband and wife who were 6 months pregnant – died today under the rubble of a house that had been attacked by a kamikaze drone. Three victims were hospitalized, two of them are employees of the State Emergency Service. Photo: dialog.ua.
Therefore, we expect more active involvement in countering this type of threats, even from those countries that have so far shied away from clear support for Ukraine.
Our partners have emphasized their readiness to support Ukraine to victory dozens of times.
A very clear message in this regard was formulated by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who called to look at the war in Ukraine from the perspective of risk management for the whole of Europe. After all, the Ukrainians are now restraining the Russian invasion, which has already been identified as the main security threat to Europe and the entire free world. Therefore, strengthening Ukraine in this struggle is an absolutely logical decision from the point of view of the security of the entire North Atlantic Alliance.
In this context, directing weapons and other resources (except for soldiers, as we have enough motivated people), which were reserved to ensure alliance obligations under NATO, to help Ukraine, is also absolutely logical. Because these are Ukrainian soldiers who are increasing the security of the Baltic countries and Central-Eastern Europe every day. The more leverage we have, the better for everyone except Russian war criminals.
One of the practical expressions of readiness is the creation of tools for the long-term support of our state. This concerns the expansion of weapons production, repair, maintenance, and training of our troops, including at the level of companies, battalions and brigades.
In particular, Ben Wallace initiated a donors’ conference back in March, as a result of which a corresponding fund was created to accumulate resources.
In August, this initiative was developed thanks to the leadership of Danish Defense Minister Morten Bodskov. A separate fund was created, which concentrates resources primarily from the countries of Northern Europe. Denmark already provides us with system support. One of the important projects is the production of 16 units of Slovak Zuzana-2 self-propelled guns for Ukraine, as a joint initiative of Denmark, Norway and Germany.
SAU Zuzana-2
We discussed the creation of a similar international project with Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand. And I expect good news.
On October 13, in Brussels, on behalf of our governments, my French colleague Sebastien Lecornu and me signed an intergovernmental agreement on a grant to France in the field of defense and security. A fund will be created to finance the purchase of weapons and military equipment from French manufacturers for the defense needs of Ukraine.
This is the visible part of Ramstein-6.
The Russian occupiers should be the first to experience the non-public details of the discussions. We repeatedly created surprises for them. It is worth preserving this tradition.
The professionalism and heroism of our defenders has already changed the attitude towards Ukraine in the world. We still have to go a long and difficult way to victory. But even the most ardent sceptics, who look at phenomena and processes not through the prism of values, but through considerations of realpolitik, lose their last doubts that Ukraine will succeed, and the rulers of Russia will lead their country to disaster.
Translated by Vitalii Holich
The author’s column is a reflection of the author’s subjective position. The editors of «Tvoe Misto» do not always share the opinions expressed in the columns, and are ready to give those who disagree the opportunity for a reasoned answer.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.
