U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held talks with Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, discussing priorities ahead of the “Ramstein” meeting, among other things, according to the Pentagon’s press service.

“This meeting will mark one year since Secretary Austin first convened the UDCG at Ramstein to coordinate security assistance, which has now brought together some fifty nations in support of Ukraine,” the statement said.

Both leaders pledged to maintain close contact.

In his turn, Austin stated that the United States would support Ukraine as long as necessary.

“Today, I spoke with my good friend and Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov to discuss priorities ahead of this week’s Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in Germany. We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes,” he wrote on Twitter.

The next meeting of the Ukrainian Defense and Security Working Group is scheduled for April 21, 2023.