RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Dozens of uniformed officials looked to the head table Thursday morning at the dimly lit officer’s club here. They were staring at Lloyd Austin, America’s secretary of defense, the man who brought them all together. But as the day began, the focus was less on Austin than what it means for him to depart.

Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to office, Ukraine’s future course is shrouded in uncertainty as Kyiv loses ground to Russia’s far larger military.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Jan. 9 at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to discuss U.S. support to Ukraine.

Formed in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, the Ukraine Defense Contact Group has ballooned to 50-plus member nations and has overseen the transfer of $126 billion worth of weapons and equipment, making it one of the largest arms transfers in history.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and US Defence Secretary Austin urge the incoming Trump administration not to abandon military support for Ukraine. They stress bolstering defense coalitions and warn that withdrawal may lead to more global instability.

President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discussed the situation on the battlefield, Ukraine's defense needs for various types of drones, and strengthening air defense.

The Biden administration is providing an additional $500 million package in weapons and equipment to Ukraine from its existing military stockpiles, looking to further reinforce Kyiv’s

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has departed for Germany to attend the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at the Ramstein Air Base, which is his last one before the end of the Biden administration.

Austin's words were echoed by senior European officials, as the continent prepares for the inauguration of Donald Trump and what could look like a very different US foreign policy.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, left, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin react during the opening of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on Jan. 9, 2025. (Daniel Roland/AFP/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/TNS)

Ukrainian President Zelensky said Trump's return would open "a new chapter" and reiterated a call for allies to send troops to help "force Russia to peace". | TAG24