At Brussels meet, Ukraine allies promise €21 billion in military support for Kyiv

Ukraine’s allies have unveiled a record €21 billion ($22.6bn) in additional military aid for Kyiv, while accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of stalling and hindering progress in US-led ceasefire talks.

According to The Guardian report, British Defence Secretary John Healey, speaking at a meeting of the Ukraine defence contact group in Brussels, said the Russian president had rejected a 30-day pause in fighting proposed a month ago by President Donald Trump.

“Putin said he wanted peace, but he rejected a full ceasefire. His forces continue to fire on Ukraine, military and civilian targets alike,” The Guardian quoted Healey as saying.

The UK and Germany co-hosted Friday’s Ramstein meeting, which brought together representatives from over 40 countries — though the US was notably absent. Instead, Trump’s Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth participated via video link.

Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius played down the Trump administration’s absence.

He conceded that peace “appears to be out of reach in the immediate future” and said Ukraine was at the “epicentre of a broader conflict”.

“It is between freedom and oppression, between the recognition of global standards and aggressive imperialism, between democracy and authoritarianism,” The Guardian quoted Pistorius as saying, adding that military support for Ukraine would continue.

The US push to swiftly end the war in Ukraine has not yielded positive results . On Friday, Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg after earlier talks with Kremlin aide Kirill Dmitriev, who visited Washington last week.

The Kremlin cautioned that “no breakthroughs” and “nothing momentous” should be expected.

Russia has refused concessions in talks, demanding control of four Ukrainian regions, the removal of Zelenskyy’s government, a Nato ban, and an end to sanctions.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Russia has to get moving. Too many people ere [sic] DYING, thousands a week, in a terrible and senseless war – A war that should have never happened, and wouldn’t have happened, if I were President!!!”

While Trump has expressed frustration, he’s taken no serious steps to pressure Putin.

Witkoff, echoing Russian rhetoric, told Tucker Carlson that occupied Ukrainian regions had “voted” to join Russia.

Since Ukraine accepted a US-led ceasefire last month, Moscow has intensified its bombing campaign. This week, Russia launched a major offensive in Sumy and Kharkiv, capturing border villages — fueling speculation it’s racing to seize ground before 9 May, Russia’s WWII Victory Day.

Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur urged faster weapons deliveries. “This is why we need to speed up the deliveries as quickly as we can,” he was quoted as saying.

In a video address to Brussels, Zelenskyy pleaded for Patriot missile systems after a Russian strike on a playground in his hometown, Kryvyi Rih, killed nine children and 11 adults.

“Our priority is air defence. Patriots that remained unused in storage with our partners should be protecting lives,” The Guardian quoted Zelenskyy as saying, adding that 10 more systems were urgently needed.

Germany, which has already sent four Patriot systems, pledged more aid: four Iris-T air defence systems, 15 Leopard 1 tanks, drones, and 100,000 artillery shells. Other countries also announced new contributions.

Healey said the UK and Norway would send radar systems, anti-tank mines, and “hundreds of thousands of drones”  as part of a $560m package, in addition to £4.5bn pledged by London this year.

The Ramstein meeting didn’t clarify how many nations are willing to send troops to Ukraine under a “coalition of the willing.”

The UK, France, and Baltic states are open to deploying forces post-peace deal.

According to AFP, six countries had signed up.

Healey described a reassurance force plan as “well-developed,” with foreign troops stationed away from the front and supporting Ukrainian forces.

Russia has rejected the idea outright.

Sweden’s Defence Minister Pål Jonson said Stockholm needed clarity.

“It’s helpful if there’s a clarity of what that mission would entail, and what do we do – if we are peacekeeping, deterrence or reassurance,” he was quoted as saying

The UK insists US military backing is essential, particularly air cover. But the Trump administration has ruled that out, saying Europe must now handle Ukraine’s long-term defence.

The US set up and led the Ukraine Defence Contact Group after Russia’s 2022 invasion, but handed leadership to the UK and Germany in February. Trump’s Defence Secretary Hegseth, said Washington’s focus has shifted to Asia and border security.

With inputs from agencies