KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday said that he would attend a key international meeting to discuss military support for Ukraine at the Ramstein air base in Germany next week.
The summit, scheduled for October 12, will be the first to take place at the leadership level, bringing together more than 50 of Ukraine’s allies, including US President Joe Biden. The gathering is expected to address pressing issues surrounding military aid to Ukraine as it continues its defense against Russia’s advancing forces.
“We are preparing for the 25th Ramstein meeting, which will be the first to take place at the leaders’ level,” Zelensky stated on social media. The Ukrainian president emphasized that he would present “clear, concrete steps toward a just end of the war,” adding that the ongoing conflict could only be halted by the collective determination of Ukraine’s international partners and the continued strengthening of Ukraine’s military capabilities.
The meeting will occur at a critical juncture for Ukraine, as concerns over future US support loom ahead of the upcoming US presidential election. Republican candidate Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of the extensive financial and military aid that Washington has provided to Kyiv. Trump has frequently repeated Russian talking points regarding the conflict.
The Ramstein meeting comes as Kyiv has intensified its requests for additional military aid, specifically seeking approval to use long-range weaponry donated by its allies to strike military targets deep within Russian territory. Zelensky’s administration views these weapons as essential for repelling the Russian military, which has been steadily advancing in eastern Ukraine throughout the year.
In his daily address on Saturday, Zelensky reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to achieving “lasting peace and security.” However, he stressed that this peace must be grounded in international law, without any compromises on Ukraine’s sovereignty or territorial integrity.
“Our troops are demonstrating what Ukrainians can do when they have enough weapons and enough range,” Zelensky said, referring to recent long-range drone strikes on Russian military bases. However, he cautioned that Ukraine’s drones alone would not be enough to turn the tide, calling for more decisive steps from Western allies to accelerate the end of the conflict.
Zelensky, who attended the previous Ramstein meeting in September, has consistently pressed for increased military support, including long-range systems that could help Ukraine shift the balance of power on the battlefield. However, with growing political uncertainty in the US and increasing demands on Western military resources, Ukraine’s future defense capabilities remain in the balance.
