Ukraine Defense Contact Group
| Ukraine Defense Contact Group, UDCG | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ukraine (recipient) UDCG participants:
32 NATO member participants 24 Non-NATO member participants Delivered Ukraine military aid (but not a participant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also known as | Ramstein group | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founders | 39 countries | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founding leader | 28th US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin (chair till FEB 2025) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Founding directives | Non-treaty operationally flexible intern'l Ukraine military aid forum | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foundation | April 26, 2022, Ramstein Airbase | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Modus operandi | Members meetings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Subgroups | 9 capability coalitions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Groups |
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| Motives | 2022 Russian invasion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Headquarters | Not established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Active regions | (recipient) Ukraine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Major actions | Military aid donations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Multinational coalition | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Size | 57 countries and EC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Part of |
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| Allies | Participant nations:
Organizational participants: European Commission NATO Allied commands, mission, coalition force: Partner countries (see §) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opponents | (per policy perception): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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UDCG • EU • NATO joint efforts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coalition pledges Firm Ukraine defense and security commitment politically, and cautiously operating militarily | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Footnotes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Ukraine Defense Contact Group (abbr. UDCG, also known as the Ramstein group) is an alliance of 57 countries (all 32 member states of NATO and 25 other countries) and the European Union supporting the defence of Ukraine by sending military equipment in response to the 2022 Russian invasion. The group coordinates the ongoing donation of military aid at monthly meetings. A first inaugural meeting took place on 26 April 2022, which was attended by 39 out of 44 invited countries. Representatives from Israel and Qatar were present at the table of the inaugural meeting, but did not appear on the official list of attendees, despite several official media reports confirming their participation. The coalition comprised 54 countries at the time of the 14 February 2023 meeting and the same number at the 11 October 2023 meeting. As of November 2023, reports of meetings usually stated "about 50" members or "more than 50" members. No official member list exists for the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, but a membership is assumed whenever a country participated in at least one of its meetings.