Ukraine allies pledge "record increase" in military support at Brussels meeting
Friday's meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) in Brussels resulted in a total of 21 billion euros in new military aid. This is a "record increase in military funding", said British Defence secretary John Healey after the meeting.
The group of some 50 countries met at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday morning. It was chaired by Healey and German Defence minister Boris Pistorius.
"The new military aid pledges announced today through the UDCG total more than €21 billion, a record increase in military funding for Ukraine," Healey told a news conference after the meeting, alongside Pistorius and Ukrainian Defence minister Rustem Umerov.
Pistorius said the contact group was making "great progress". "I am impressed and grateful for the announcements and pledges, for the support packages from partners around the world," the German minister said. "This will certainly have an impact on the battlefield this year."
On Wednesday, NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte announced that NATO allies had pledged more than 20 billion euros in security assistance to Ukraine in the first three months of this year.
US phones in
US Defence secretary Pete Hegseth was not physically present at the Brussels meeting, but participated via videoconference. According to Pistorius, this was not a matter of "priorities, but agendas".
"Other ministers also did not attend today because of their agendas and commitments. The important thing is that he attended and addressed the audience," Pistorius said.
Umerov stressed that the US is Ukraine's "most important partner". "The United States stands with us and is focused on peace," he said.
#FlandersNewsService | Germany's Defence minister Boris Pistorius, Ukraine's minister of Defence Rustem Umerov and Britain's Defence secretary John Healey. JOHN THYS / AFP©
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