U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend the upcoming meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (the Ramstein format).
That’s according to Defense News citing informed sources in the U.S. and Europe, Ukrinform reports.
It is noted that the Group will meet in Brussels (Belgium) on April 11 and be co-chaired by Germany and the UK.
Hegseth did attend the previous, 27th, Ramstein format meeting in February. However, he became the first U.S. Defense Secretary not to chair the event.
According to an American source, Hegseth will not join the Group’s meeting in person, and neither is he expected to join the event via video conference.
It is also unlikely that the Pentagon will send high-ranking representatives who usually accompany the head of the Pentagon on such trips.
The American interlocutor noted that the United States is still assessing how its officials will participate in various formats that support Ukraine, including those that help manage security assistance and training for the country’s soldiers.
As Ukrinform reported earlier, in late March, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a briefing that within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing summit in France, Ukraine agreed with partners on additional defense packages, which will be announced during the UDCG meeting in April.
Source: In first, Pentagon chief to skip UCDG meeting - media
