British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Photo: Chris J. Ratcliffe / Bloomberg via Getty Images
On 27 March 2025, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that the next, 27th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine’s Defence in the Ramstein format would take place on 11 April. He made this announcement during a press conference in Paris after the summit of the “coalition of the willing”, broadcast by Sky News.
According to Starmer, the meeting will be chaired by UK Defence Secretary John Healey. The main goal of the meeting is to intensify international support for Ukraine and mobilise additional assistance. “Peace comes through strength. This was one of the key messages that we reinforced and emphasised today,” the British Prime Minister said.
The meeting will be held in Brussels, as previously announced by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his address on 17 March. He stressed the importance of coordinating the efforts of the allies to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities in the face of the ongoing war.
Interestingly, on 6 March, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius stated that he would chair the 27th Ramstein together with John Healy. However, on 26 March, the German government dismissed him, which may affect the distribution of roles during the upcoming meeting.
The Ramstein format, launched to coordinate military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, remains a key platform for strategic decision-making. At the meeting on 11 April, participants are expected to discuss new support packages aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s positions at the front and in the rear.
