Multiple European countries have confirmed new defense packages for Kyiv at the Ramstein meeting on Wednesday, April 15 – though delivery timelines remain uncertain.
The Ramstein meeting, formally known as the Ukraine Defense Consultative Group (UDCG), is a Western initiative that brings together Kyiv’s allies regularly to coordinate aid for Kyiv.
Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, Germany announced a €4 billion ($4.7 billion) defense package that includes hundreds of Patriot missiles, while the UK announced its “biggest-ever” drone package with over 120,000 drones.
Wednesday’s press briefing centered on these contributions.
More Patriot missiles – but later
In his speech, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius mentioned the package signed on Tuesday and said the components aim to bolster Kyiv’s air defense – calling it Ukraine’s “top priority” at present – remarks echoed later by Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The package includes “hundreds” of Patriot air defense missiles and a number of IRIS-T medium-range air defense systems, which are set to arrive in the coming years, according to Pistorius.
Fedorov later said at the briefing that the missiles are set to arrive between 2027-29 – with neither Fedorov nor Pistorious elaborating on the exact number of missiles.
The same day Kyiv and Berlin inked the deal on the package, Raytheon – the US arms maker producing the missiles – also announced a $3.7 billion contract funded by Germany to produce Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) missiles for Ukraine inside Germany.
Patriot air defense missiles remain a key asset in Ukraine’s arsenal, as they are one of the few systems capable of shooting down high-speed Russian ballistic missiles. On Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that supplies are severely short.
Fedorov said Kyiv needs more PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles to protect infrastructure over the winter, with Russia having wreaked havoc on Ukraine’s energy grid over the past winter in subzero temperatures.
Fedorov also thanked multiple countries – including Belgium, Bulgaria and Estonia – in funding PAC-3 missile purchases via NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative.
Meanwhile, UK Defence Secretary John Healey brought up the new UK drone package for Kyiv, noting that it also includes 120,000 new drones and “hundreds of thousands” of artillery rounds, with Fedorov noting that 155mm artillery rounds remain in high demand on the front line.
NATO General Secretary praised the packages and mentioned additional drones from the Netherlands for Kyiv in his speech.
Fedorov also thanked Norway for a major drone deal signed on Tuesday, where Norway will support the production of drones in Ukraine, while Ukraine will share data, information and knowledge with Norway.
The Ukrainian minister said the initiative could help speed up the delivery of drones to frontline troops.
“Imbalance” in PURL?
The ministers also mentioned NATO’s PURL initiative, in which member states would pool funding to help finance purchases of vital US weaponry otherwise inaccessible to Kyiv.
However, there were differing answers to whether there’s an imbalance in contributions among NATO members when asked by reporters.
Pistorius said it “wouldn’t be fair” to compare the contributions, as every country has its “own economy and challenges,” adding that he is satisfied that PURL continues to receive funding.
Fedorov said that while there might be an “imbalance” from some countries, there’s also the matter of quantity and quality, and the key is daily communication with allies to identify needs and performance, and determine which weapons are needed.
NATO chief Rutte, meanwhile, said NATO members “can do even better” in sharing the burden but remained optimistic when asked.
Continued US delivery via PURL?
After the US reportedly threatened to divert arms to refill its stockpile due to the war in Iran, reporters asked Rutte and other ministers whether he is confident the flow would continue, to which he offered a vague answer.
Rutte first said “the flow continues” and that he is “optimistic” that NATO is able to reach the PURL funding target, but later said both the US and Europe need to refill their stockpiles.
He then added that there’s a “broad agreement” on both sides of the Atlantic on the need to make sure Ukraine “stays in the fight” without mentioning future deliveries, casting further doubts.