Ukraine Defense Contact Group to discuss long-term support for Ukraine – Pentagon

The Pentagon officials made a corresponding statement ahead of the meeting, Ukrinform reports with reference to the website of the U.S. Department of Defense.

According to one of them, now the focus will shift a bit as Ukraine and its partners must think not only for today's battles, but the future.

"We've been talking to allies or partners about the need to think longer term," the official said.

He added that the Russians "didn't expect the international community in general  — and certainly Europe and the United States, specifically — to come to Ukraine's political, diplomatic, economic and military assistance."

"This meeting [meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group] will be an opportunity to signal very clearly that the United States and our partners … are actually in this for the long haul," the Pentagon representative said.

He stressed that Ukraine needed to be able to defend its sovereignty, and defense leaders would discuss opportunities to plus up the defense industrial base to supply Ukraine with all the needed on the battlefield.

On Thursday, September 8, the next meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group will take place at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.