The United States was represented at the meeting of the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (Ramstein), although Pentagon chief Pete Gegseth was not there, Gegseth has said.
When asked why he was not present at Ramstein, the US defence secretary pointed out that the country’s ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, was at the meeting.
At the same time, Hagseth thanked the UK and Germany for taking the lead on the Ramstein format.
“From the very beginning in this administration, we have worked with our British and German colleagues to take leadership of this contact group, which they have done, and I appreciate that,” he said.
The Ramstein meeting (involving 50 countries), convened by Britain and Germany, was held June 4 at NATO headquarters with the participation of Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov. For the first time, the US defence chief was not present at the meeting.