Polish Radio
April 27, 2022

Ukraine needs heavy arms, Polish defence minister tells conference

Poland’s defence minister said that Ukraine needed heavy weapons as he attended an international conference on Tuesday to discuss military support for the country invaded by

Mariusz Błaszczak was among top military officials from more than 40 nations who convened at Ramstein Air Base in southwestern Germany to discuss how to deliver more lethal aid to Ukraine….

Chaired by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the day-long meeting aimed to coordinate efforts to assist Ukraine in combating the Russian invasion, officials said.

Afterwards, Błaszczak told reporters: “This was the first conference. There are more to come….”

Heavy weaponry for Ukraine

“Heavy weapons are indispensable,” the Polish defence minister said. He added: “We discussed this, as well as anti-aircraft systems – these are Ukraine’s two main aims.”

He told reporters that “such support is and will be provided in coordination with NATO partners.“

Referring to his speech at the closed-door meeting, he said: “I stressed the importance of Ukraine’s independence, not only for the security of Poland and fellow countries on NATO’s eastern flank, but for the security of Europe and the whole world.”

Ukraine Defense Consultative Group

Meanwhile, Austin told reporters that Tuesday’s conference would be turned into a monthly “contact group.”

Dubbed the Ukraine Defense Consultative Group, the format is designed “to further discuss how best to assist Ukraine,” the Pentagon chief added.