It was a symbolic place where Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin gathered numerous allies and partners on Tuesday.

When the Taliban invaded Kabul last summer and Western troops withdrew from Afghanistan, Ramstein, the Americans' most important air force base in Europe, became an air hub for tens of thousands of refugees within hours.

The rescue operation was militarily successful, but in the light of the failed twenty-year military operation in Afghanistan, America, and especially President Joe Biden, appeared weak.

Lorenz Hemicker

Editor in Politics

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Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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On the 62nd day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a different, self-confident America presented itself in Ramstein, unimpressed by the recent nuclear saber-rattling by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Inside the base officers' club, protected by armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers with assault rifles and sniffer dogs, Austin presented himself as representing a government determined to join forces with its partners in helping Ukraine repel the Russian incursion.

The “Ukraine Defense Consultative Group” came together to develop a common understanding of Ukraine's short-term security requirements, Austin said of the defense ministers and leading military leaders from more than 40 countries who were present and connected.

"Heaven and earth," he said, will be set in motion to make Ukraine even more efficient in their defensive struggle.

She needs “our help to win.

And she will need our help when the war is over.”

Material worth five billion dollars

Austin initially avoided making specific demands on the allies and partners.

From delegation circles it was said that there was no interest in speaking publicly about concrete commitments that could be made in Ramstein.

Instead, Austin highlighted the value of what the Americans and more than 30 of their partners have already shipped to the Ukrainians in military equipment: $5 billion worth of equipment, of which his government has contributed $3.7 billion.

In terms of capabilities, the United States provided the majority, as they went ahead with the decision to deliver more effective weapons for the battle in the Donbass: with heavy howitzers, for example, but also with hundreds of other combat drones that were specially tailored to the needs of Ukrainian troops in their fight against Russian armored vehicles.

While the Americans and other participants avoided making further announcements on Tuesday, the federal government, often criticized for its reticence, took a different tack.

Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) announced at the meeting in Ramstein that Germany would allow the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine.

The decision was made in the federal government on Monday.

Specifically, it is about anti-aircraft tanks of the Gepard type, which were decommissioned by the Bundeswehr.

"This is exactly what Ukraine needs now to secure the airspace from the ground," Lambrecht said.

Her Ukrainian colleague Olexsi Resnikov, who also attended the meeting in Ramstein, once again delivered "shattering reports" about the war in Ukraine.

These reports made it clear how important it is to coordinate support for Ukraine “and also to significantly increase it.” Germany is ready to do this.

With regard to the equipment of the Bundeswehr, Lambrecht repeated the opinion that "we have reached our limits".

At the same time, she announced further steps that Germany intends to take to help Ukraine.

The funds for the upgrade initiative, with which Ukraine can buy German armaments, would be increased to two billion euros.

Deliveries with Eastern European countries in the so-called ring exchange procedure have been agreed.

"They give Ukraine equipment from Soviet production and we fill in these gaps." The products of Eastern European countries from Soviet production are considered to be particularly efficient in the short term because Ukrainian soldiers are familiar with them and no longer need to be trained on them.