New Defense Minister Rustem Umierov participates for the first time in the meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine in the Ramstein format, which is being held in Germany on Tuesday.

This is the 15th meeting of the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine in the Ramstein format.

Pentagon Chief Lloyd Austin, opening the new meeting, congratulated Umerov on his new position, Evropeiska Pravda reports.

“We had a good conversation last week and this morning we also had the opportunity to sit down together. Rustem, I look forward to working closely with you and your team. And I know that everyone here does too,” Austin said.

He also thanked former defense minister Oleksii Reznikov “for his hard work and dedication – and for everything he has done for a free Ukraine in a secure world.”

In his introductory speech, the Pentagon chief announced that Ukraine would soon receive M1 Abrams tanks from the United States.

“Since our last meeting, the United States has provided additional security assistance packages totaling more than $2 billion. These packages include urgently needed air defense, ammunition, and mine clearance equipment… And I am pleased to announce that the M1 Abrams tanks that the United States previously pledged will soon be arriving in Ukraine,” Austin said.

As previously reported, on September 6, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Rustem Umerov as the Minister of Defense of Ukraine.

Umierov was appointed to replace Oleksii Reznikov, who held the position from November 2021 to September 5, 2023.

President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed his candidacy on September 3, immediately after the announcement of the resignation of the current Minister of Defense.

Ramstein

As previously reported, the first meeting of defense ministers at Ramstein Air Base in Germany took place on April 26, 2022. The representatives from more than 40 countries and representatives of Ukraine participated in it.

As a result, it was agreed to establish a permanent Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine, which would meet monthly.