The military summit “Ramstein” is a key event where issues of supporting Ukraine by international partners in the fight against Russian aggression are discussed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Germany to participate in this event. Its main goal is to attract additional support from Western allies and accelerate the supply of necessary weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Meetings with international partners
At the summit, Zelensky plans to hold talks with the US and German defense ministers – Lloyd Austin and Boris Pistorius, respectively. In addition, a separate meeting with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is planned. The President emphasized that Ukraine needs the determination of its partners to counter Russian terror, and it is important for the already announced military aid to quickly reach Ukrainian brigades.
Also important is the issue of providing Ukraine with long-range missiles, which can bring an end to the war on terms of a just peace. Zelensky believes that only joint decisive actions can help stop the aggressor.
The Pentagon and the issue of strikes on Russia
One of the main topics of the summit is the question of Ukraine’s ability to launch long-range strikes on military targets in Russian territory. However, the United States, as a key partner of Ukraine, has some reservations about this.
Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh explained at a briefing that one of the reasons why the US does not allow Ukraine to use ATACMS missiles to attack Russian targets is due to the limited quantity of these missiles. According to her, most of the Russian aircraft conducting attacks on Ukrainian cities are based at airfields located more than 300 kilometers from the front line, beyond the reach of ATACMS.
ATACMS Missiles: Limited Capabilities
According to Singh, even if Ukraine uses ATACMS for strikes on Russian targets such as airfields, Russia has the ability to move them further away from the reach zone. Additionally, the quantity of ATACMS missiles in the U.S. is limited, which is an important factor for the Pentagon when making decisions about their use.
It is also important to consider the risks of escalation that accompany the use of long-range weaponry. The U.S. has been cautious from the beginning of the war in providing Ukraine with weapons that could escalate the situation and lead to unpredictable consequences.
Ukraine’s Position
President Zelensky insists that Ukraine has the right to use long-range weaponry to target military objects on Russian territory. The Ukrainian side has already provided a list of targets for potential strikes, and these objects are considered critical to Russian military infrastructure. However, as of today, the U.S. has not authorized strikes on these targets.
NATO’s Concerns!
After the conclusion of the “Ramstein” summit, Zelensky plans to visit Italy, where he will meet with representatives of the local business community at the Ambrosetti International Economic Forum, as well as hold talks with Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni. This is another opportunity for Ukraine to strengthen its international positions and gain additional support.
The question of a more active involvement of NATO in the war remains important. In Zelensky’s opinion, providing Ukraine with modern armaments such as long-range missiles could change the course of the war and accelerate a peaceful resolution of the conflict. However, this requires a joint position of the Alliance and decisive actions from international partners.
What’s Next?
The “Ramstein Summit” is a critical step in providing Ukraine with the necessary weapons to continue the fight against Russian aggression. However, the question of using long-range missiles and strikes on Russian targets remains open. Whether the USA will change its position on this issue will be shown in time, but for now, Ukraine continues to call for more decisive support from the international community.
Share your opinion in the comments on the USA’s position regarding the use of ATACMS missiles and the overall role of international partners in our struggle!
