US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will chair the meeting of the Contact Group for the Defence of Ukraine (Ramstein format)  scheduled for 14 February in Brussels.

"Secretary Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown, Jr. will travel to Brussels, Belgium next week to host an in-person meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on 14 February.

This will be the 19th meeting of the UDCG since Secretary Austin formed the international group in April 2022," U.S. Department of Defense cites Pentagon spokesperson Patrick Ryder.

Ryder noted that representatives from the US Department of Defense will join defence ministers and high-ranking officials of nearly 50 countries to discuss the war and the international community's support for Ukraine.

"While in Brussels, Secretary Austin will also participate in the NATO Defense Ministerial February 15 at NATO headquarters."