U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey will lead Wednesday’s meeting of Kyiv’s allies under the Ukraine Defence Contact Group format, taking over from the U.S., the British Ministry of Defence said today.
The meeting is scheduled ahead of a summit of NATO defense ministers, but the Ukraine grouping, also known as the Ramstein Format, is far bigger, including more than 50 allies.
The format coordinates the specifics of military aid to Ukraine on everything from fighter jet training to cybersecurity.
Last month’s 25th meeting of the Ramstein Format was led by ex-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin just days before President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
“The UDCG will gather ahead of the NATO Defence Ministerial Meeting to discuss priorities for Ukraine as the international community continues to work together to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s illegal invasion,” the U.K. Ministry of Defence said.
The U.K. is a major supporter of Ukraine, with successive governments funneling billions of pounds in military aid to Kyiv while training thousands of troops.
The Trump administration’s view on the UDCG remains unclear, and it’s still uncertain whether the U.K. will take on leadership beyond Wednesday’s meeting.
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