Ukraine allies vow strong backing at key talks in Germany

Ramstein Air Base (Germany): US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday that international backing for Ukraine holds “strong and true” as he opened a meeting in Germany with allies to discuss further support for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier in the day had urged Stoltenberg to push NATO members for even more from them, including warplanes, artillery and armoured equipment. “Our support for the forces of freedom in Ukraine holds strong and true,” Austin said, as he began the discussions, a year after the format of talks between defence leaders began to coordinate aid for Ukraine. “At today’s contact group meeting, we’ll focus on three key issues – air defence, ammunition and enablers,” said Austin, referring to logistics and other support.

.@SecDef: Earlier this week, the U.S. announced our 36th Presidential Drawdown of security assistance for Ukraine, valued at $325 million. We’ve now provided more than $35 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began. pic.twitter.com/Sv3ey23Mzp

— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) April 21, 2023

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, on the eve of the talks gathering representatives from 50 countries, urged Western allies to send more fighter jets and long-range missiles to help repel Russian troops. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg defiantly on Thursday declared that Ukraine’s “rightful place” is in the military alliance and pledged more support for the country on his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion just over a year ago. Read Also: NATO allies agree Ukraine will be a member of military alliance: Stoltenberg Zelensky had asked for NATO’s help to “overcome the reluctance” of some member states in providing long-range rockets, modern fighter jets and armoured vehicles, putting his request directly to the alliance’s chief Jens Stoltenberg, who on Thursday made his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion last year.

.@SecDef: Together, we will defend the rules-based international order that keeps us all secure. And together, we will support Ukraine for as long as it takes. pic.twitter.com/0xeMeAIy6I

— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) April 21, 2023

In Ramstein, Stoltenberg acknowledged the need to discuss “new platforms” of support with the battle now in its second year. But he also underlined the need to ensure that already supplied weapons continued to work. “This is now a battle of attrition, and a battle of attrition becomes a war of logistics,” Stoltenberg said, adding, “maybe it’s also a bit more boring but the logistics are extremely important”. Air defence  The Ramstein meeting began with “fruitful” talks on military aid between Kyiv’s representatives and their US counterparts, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Twitter. NATO members have forwarded Soviet-era fighter jets to Ukraine but have held off sending more modern models such as the US-designed F-16 sought after by Kyiv. They have however provided Ukraine with anti-air missiles, with Kyiv earlier in the week saying it had received the first shipment of Patriots, seen as one of the most advanced US air defence systems. The kit has been among Kyiv’s key demands from Western allies as it looks to defend itself from Russian missile attacks and roll back Moscow’s invasion. In eastern Ukraine’s Lugansk region, AFP saw a group of servicemen using British-supplied artillery several kilometres from Russian positions. One hauled shells to the UK-made gun from a nearby cache, while others set coordinates and loaded the barrel before the final order to “Fire!”. “There are the planned targets that we work on. And some appear unexpectedly, for example, to repel an assault when the enemy advances,” said Bogdan, a 40-year-old Ukrainian serviceman from the embattled town of Bakhmut. “The enemy is using few military vehicles. Infantry, which is what the enemy has plenty of, goes forward,” he said. NATO bid  During Stoltenberg’s visit to Kyiv, the NATO chief was also pressed on allowing Ukraine to join the alliance, but he stressed it was not an immediate priority. “All NATO allies have agreed that Ukraine will become a NATO member, but the main focus now is of course on how to ensure that Ukraine prevails,” he said on Friday at Ramstein. “Without a sovereign, independent Ukraine, there is no meaning in discussing membership,” he said. The NATO chief also said the alliance was examining a “multi-year programme to help Ukraine transition from Soviet-era equipment standards (and) doctrines to NATO standards and doctrines.” “We need to ensure that Ukraine has the military strength … that deterrence to prevent new attacks because you have to remember that the war didn’t start in February” last year but with Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. Over a year into its invasion, Russia struck Kyiv with drones overnight in the first such attack for almost a month, although city officials reported no casualties. Moscow suffered a setback with one of its fighter jets losing munitions over Belgorod near the Ukrainian border. Local authorities reported a blast that injured two people and left a huge crater in the Russian city. The region of Belgorod has been repeatedly shelled since Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022. With inputs from agencies. Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.