Media reports Top-level conference of Western presidents on Ukraine disregarded
Date
10/12/2024 7:30:35 AM
(MENAFN) This week’s anticipated meeting of Western leaders supporting Ukraine has been called off after U.S. President Joe Biden announced he would not be attending. According to reports from Reuters and radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the cancellation was confirmed via an email from the U.S. public affairs office at Ramstein Air Base.
The gathering, which was set to take place at the U.S. military facility in Germany, was expected to feature speeches from Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This meeting was part of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, a coalition formed by over 50 nations, including many NATO member states, following the onset of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Since its inception, defense ministers from participating countries have convened regularly at Ramstein Air Base to assess Ukraine’s military needs and coordinate the delivery of arms.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that the meeting, originally scheduled for October 12, 2024, has been postponed, with further announcements regarding future Ukraine Defense Contact Group meetings expected soon. Earlier in the day, RFE/RL had also confirmed that the high-level meeting of the Ramstein group was canceled due to Biden's decision to forgo his trip to Germany.
In a statement released on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre explained that Biden's trip was being postponed due to the projected severity of Hurricane Milton. The president himself noted, “I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time,” while expressing hope to reschedule both the trip and the conferences he had intended to participate in.
The cancellation of this significant meeting underscores the complexities and challenges facing international coordination in support of Ukraine, particularly in light of unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. As Western allies continue to navigate their support strategies, the impact of Biden's absence from such high-level discussions could have implications for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
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