Ahead of a meeting of the Ukraine Contact Group in Brussels, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that a multinational initiative to strengthen Ukrainian air defense, called “Immediate Action on Air Defense,” is to be relaunched.
“It is obvious every day: Russia continues to attack Ukraine from the air. The number of drone and cruise missile attacks is immense. Again and again, innocent Ukrainians die or are injured in these attacks,” said Pistorius.
Pistorius also announced that the group supporting the expansion of electromagnetic combat capabilities would grow, with Belgium, Estonia, Italy, Sweden, and Turkey expressing interest in joining the initiative.
The initiative involves securing Ukrainian communications, reconnaissance, and disrupting Russian communications and drones.
Pistorius described Ukraine’s recent drone attacks, which destroyed Russian military aircraft deep within Russian territory, as spectacular blows. “Ukraine is not giving up,” he stressed.
Defense ministers from Germany, Great Britain, and many other countries are meeting in Brussels to coordinate additional military aid for Ukraine. Ukraine’s defense minister is also attending the meeting. Noticeably absent, however, is US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, whose predecessor, Lloyd Austin, had formerly chaired the contact group meetings.
