Key facts
- The United States is stepping down from its leadership role in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG).
- Germany and the UK will now permanently chair the UDCG, an alliance of over 50 countries supporting Ukraine.
- This leadership transition is part of a broader US strategy to shift greater responsibility to European allies within NATO.
- The US European Command will continue to participate in the UDCG as a deputy.
- The move comes amid signals of a diminishing US role in NATO and potential troop withdrawals from Europe.
The United States is handing over the leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), also known as the Ramstein group, to European allies. This alliance of over 50 countries has been instrumental in coordinating military aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion. While the US will no longer chair the group, it will remain involved through an American deputy, and the transition is expected to take up to a year.
Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans confirmed that Germany and the UK have taken over the permanent chairmanship. This move is seen as part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to shift greater responsibility to European nations within NATO, mirroring previous decisions to transfer other commands. Western allies are also anticipating potential reductions in US troop presence in Europe.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth attended the latest meeting online, but his commitment to continued American support for Ukraine has not been solidified. Some Pentagon officials have expressed concerns that aid to Ukraine could impact readiness for a potential conflict with China. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have previously emphasized the critical need for sustained US support, but these arguments appear to be facing challenges within the current administration.