A Need for Dialogue in Ramstein
Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 21 April 2023
by Berthold Kohler (link to
original)
No ally wanted to talk openly about the scandal in Washington, because without America, Putin would already be standing at Poland's border.
The topic of the meeting of the so-called Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein was, as it had been at the three previous meetings, supporting Kyiv in defending itself against the Russian aggressor by providing weapons and ammunition. Once again, the main concern was strengthening Ukraine's air defense to frustrate Moscow's strategy of weakening Ukraine's strength and will by systematically destroying its infrastructure.
But it is also necessary to coordinate the maintenance and refurbishment of the various tanks that Kyiv has received by now. And last but not least, those at the meeting had to address how to increase production of artillery ammunition in the West so that the Ukrainians can stand up to the seemingly endless fire from Russian cannons.
As Porous as a Sieve
But the NATO member states also had another issue of their own to discuss in Ramstein, namely the irritations caused by the publication of confidential American documents on the situation in Ukraine. This scandal, that was revealed relatively late, was extremely embarrassing for Washington, where usually only German secrecy is considered porous as a sieve.
But no one wanted to gossip loudly about the breakdown this time, not even in Berlin. Without American weapons, American money and American leadership, Putin would long ago have been standing at Poland's border.
The topic of the meeting of the so-called Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein was, as it had been at the three previous meetings, supporting Kyiv in defending itself against the Russian aggressor by providing weapons and ammunition. Once again, the main concern was strengthening Ukraine's air defense to frustrate Moscow's strategy of weakening Ukraine's strength and will by systematically destroying its infrastructure.
But it is also necessary to coordinate the maintenance and refurbishment of the various tanks that Kyiv has received by now. And last but not least, those at the meeting had to address how to increase production of artillery ammunition in the West so that the Ukrainians can stand up to the seemingly endless fire from Russian cannons.
As Porous as a Sieve
But the NATO member states also had another issue of their own to discuss in Ramstein, namely the irritations caused by the publication of confidential American documents on the situation in Ukraine. This scandal, that was revealed relatively late, was extremely embarrassing for Washington, where usually only German secrecy is considered porous as a sieve.
But no one wanted to gossip loudly about the breakdown this time, not even in Berlin. Without American weapons, American money and American leadership, Putin would long ago have been standing at Poland's border.
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