Secretary Austin,
I thank you for your leadership in this Ramstein format,
Distinguished ministers and generals,
General Brown,
Dear friends,
I am pleased to greet you and to say that Ramstein has indeed become a global event. If we in Ukraine had not received your help with weapons, and if your countries had shown indifference to the destiny of our people, the world would definitely be different. And it is worth reminding. Predatory regimes like Russia's are rapidly increasing their appetite for aggression. When they succeed in one part of the world, it creates problems in many other places – aggression spreads when not stopped. If our solidarity with you had not worked out and if your reaction to the war had remained only in words, the world would have had to deal with a much more powerful Russia. Many people worldwide would still believe that Russian missiles cannot be shot down. Many people would still be convinced that the Russian army is capable of crushing anyone’s independence. Many would grovel in front of Putin and not even try to defend their sovereignty if it were not for this example of ours – an example of courage that works and that must work completely.
Dear friends!
Please do not forget what you are deciding. This is not just about the arms supply – you are deciding the fate of the world that will either live by rules that we all recognize or depend only on the mercy of those whose violence is brutal.
At what point is the war now, after two years of Ramstein? The answer is clear: everything still depends only on our interaction – on how quickly we act and whether our agreements are fully implemented. Although in half a year, while we were waiting for a decision on the American support, the Russian army managed to seize the initiative on the battlefield, we can still now not only stabilize the front, but also move forward, achieving our Ukrainian goals in the war. Each of you understands what will be most effective.
First: long range weapons. No part of the occupied territory of Ukraine should remain safe for the occupier. And I thank every leader whose solutions are already working hard on the front lines – Storm Shadow, SCALPs and ATACMS. The range should be sufficient. Second: air shield. This year, Russian jets have already used more than nine thousand guided aerial bombs against Ukraine. And we need the ability to shoot down their combat aircraft so that they do not approach our positions and borders. It is possible. It is just as possible as giving protection to the cities of Ukraine from Russian rockets. We urgently need Patriot systems and missiles for them. This is what can and should save lives right now. At least seven Patriots are necessary for our cities to be safe. You have these systems, and they truly can change the situation now – change it for the better. As well as accelerating the transition to F-16. Our counter-terrorism cooperation must be more effective than Russia’s cooperation with the regimes in Iran and North Korea. Third: artillery. Many of those present at “Ramstein” were soldiers, and you can imagine what our soldiers feel when they simply have nothing to respond to enemy fire. The one-to-ten ratio of artillery in our country to that of the Russian army inspires Putin to fight on. He believes that he will walk through the ruins and he will try to launch his counteroffensive. We must disrupt it. Our soldiers need artillery – enough 155 calibers to stop Russian assaults and conduct our own active operations. I thank every country that really effectively helps with this.
And one more. Please pay maximum attention to the production of weapons – both in your countries and in our joint projects with you and in Ukraine. Now in Ukraine, we have the potential for the production of drones in particular, which significantly exceeds our financial capabilities. Same with electronic warfare systems. Likewise in many areas in your countries. We need to fill our defense capacities with real orders. And we are currently forming new brigades to strengthen our positions. They need support just like the brigades already operating at the front. Our team participating in “Ramstein” will present all the details. Even the best soldiers cannot change the war without a sufficient number of weapons. And I am proud of Ukrainian soldiers. Each of you knows the strength and capabilities of our soldiers. They know how to win. They must win. But Ukrainian defenders need your sufficient and timely support – exactly what you would need to win if you were soldiers in this war.
Thank you for your attention!
I am grateful for your support! And I would especially like to thank the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. We appreciate that it was on your personal initiative that exactly two years ago, the Contact Group on Defense of Ukraine, anti-war coalition, was created, which united efforts and rallied more than 50 countries of the world. Ukraine is grateful to you for your dedication, for the tireless work of your team and all of the partners for the saved lives of our citizens. Thank you!
Слава Україні!