Hegseth says that transfer of Ramstein leadership to UK and Germany was planned by US

The United States’ decision to relinquish leadership of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group in the Ramstein format to the United Kingdom and Germany was planned from the outset of the new US administration.

As reported by a European Pravda correspondent

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced to reporters following a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels that the transfer of leadership of the Ramstein format to Germany and the UK had been planned by the United States since President Donald Trump’s administration took office.

"From the very beginning of this administration, we worked with our British and German counterparts for them to take the lead of that contact group, which they have done. And I appreciate that," Hegseth said.

He added that the United States continues to participate in the Ramstein format, noting that the US was represented at the 4 June meeting by US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker.

"I believe you were at the meeting?" Hegseth asked Whitaker.

"I’m at all the meetings, yes," the diplomat replied.

"We’ve definitely been at that meeting and made a contribution," the US defence secretary concluded.

It was previously reported that Hegseth did not attend the Ramstein format meeting at NATO Headquarters on 4 June.

On 4 June, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker, commenting on the potential threat to US forces from enemy drones and Ukraine’s special operation Spider’s Web, stated that the United States was learning lessons from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.