The Minister of Defense of Ukraine recalled that Germany announced the transfer to Ukraine of the first of the four promised IRIS-T SLM air defense systemsKIEV, October 12.
/tass/. Defense Minister of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov said that the issue of the supply of air defense (air defense) to Kiev is the first item on the agenda at the sixth meeting of the group for the coordination of military assistance to Kiev in Brussels.
"Our work begins within the framework of the Contact Group on the Defense of Ukraine (Ramstein-6) and meetings with the defense ministers of [NATO member countries]," Reznikov wrote on his Twitter page. - I also hold important bilateral meetings. The number one item on the agenda today is strengthening air defense." The Minister of Defense of Ukraine added that he was "optimistic."
Reznikov recalled that Germany announced the transfer to Ukraine of the first of the four IRIS-T SLM air defense systems promised by Berlin. He also said that he expects the United States to transfer the NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) to Kiev. "We need more," the Ukrainian Defense Minister added.
The conflict in Ukraine is the focus of a two-day meeting of defense ministers of 30 NATO member countries that opened in Brussels on Wednesday. As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels yesterday, the alliance will discuss increasing military assistance to Kiev. In addition, a meeting of the contact group for the coordination of military assistance to Ukraine is taking place on the sidelines of the event on Wednesday. For the first time, the members of this group met in Germany at the end of April at the Ramstein Air Force Base, after which this format was named. Reznikov takes part in both meetings.
Germany on Tuesday handed over to Ukraine the first of four IRIS-T SLM air defense systems promised by Berlin. The coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council (NSC) of the White House, John Kirby, also reported that the US authorities expect to transfer the first two NASAMS anti-aircraft missile systems to Kiev "in the very near future."
