Zelensky was a specially invited guest when the defense ministers in the contact group for Ukraine's defense – the so-called Ramstein group – met on Thursday.
Zelensky is trying to see the positive in the new reality that the world is entering when Donald Trump takes over as president in the USA in about a week.
I see this as an opportunity time. We have shown that when we stand together, no one is too small to make a mark in history. It would be crazy to drop the ball now, says the president in a clear appeal to the USA's incoming leadership to continue supporting Ukraine.
Forces from the West?
The president promises to do everything to bring about a "worthy" end to the war.
Our goal is to find as many instruments as possible to pressure Russia into peace. I believe that the deployment of units from partner countries is one of the best instruments. Let's be more practical in making it possible, says Zelensky.
The words come after France raised the idea of European peacekeeping forces at the end of last year, and according to Zelensky, there are "supportive signals" about the idea from, among others, the UK.
However, according to Sweden's Defense Minister Pål Jonson (M), it was not something that was discussed during the actual meeting.
Silent about Greenland
The USA has promised weapons support for an additional 500 million dollars (5.5 billion kronor) and from the UK, there is news that 30,000 drones have been ordered for Ukraine.
At the same time, everything is overshadowed by the uncertainty about what the USA will do when Trump soon takes over as president again. Outwardly, however, there is silence about it.
It's something that the Trump administration will have to answer for themselves when they take office. What I perceive is an understanding that Europe will have to take greater responsibility, says Pål Jonson to TT.
Officially, there is also silence about Trump's notable words about taking control of Greenland.
There have been no discussions related to that. Now the focus has been on Ukraine and how we can support Ukraine in the long term, says the defense minister on the phone from Ramstein.
The contact group for Ukraine's defense consists of around 50 countries that support Ukraine militarily and economically after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Thursday's meeting at the NATO airbase Ramstein in Germany was the 25th in order and the last under the leadership of the USA's outgoing Defense Minister Lloyd Austin.
Both NATO and the EU have expressed openness to taking over the coordination of the group's meetings going forward, if the USA were to take a step back.
