This purchase is available as a free download with your MyC-SPAN account C-SPAN.org offers links to books featured on the C-SPAN networks to make it simpler for viewers to purchase them C-SPAN has agreements with retailers that share a small percentage of your purchase price with our network C-SPAN earns money from your qualifying purchases C-SPAN only receives this revenue if your book purchase is made using the links on this page Any revenue realized from this program goes into a general account to help fund C-SPAN operations Please note that questions regarding fulfillment or issues relating to your book orders should be directed to the Webmaster or administrator of the specific bookseller's site and are their sole responsibility MyC-SPAN users can download four Congressional hearings and proceedings under four hours for free each month There are three ways to set in and out points for a clip: Check your selection with the "Preview Clip" option If you are editing the times of an existing clip you may only set a start and end time within the original clip boundaries A fire broke out in an apartment Wednesday in the building in Ramstein-Miesenbach that is home to Memory and Paradox The fire on Bahnhofstrasse was reported around 11:30 a.m. “We were able to get the fire quickly under control,” Hecktor said referring to the 29 firefighters who responded The cause of the fire might be electrical work that was carried out in the building Both restaurants were open for regular hours as observed by some Stars and Stripes staffers on Thursday listens to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach (Andreas Arnold/dpa via AP)RAMSTEIN AIR BASE Germany — Dozens of uniformed officials looked to the head table Thursday morning at the dimly lit officer’s club here the focus was less on Austin than what it means for him to depart the secretary has convened this Ukraine Defense Contact Group — a gathering of 50 countries supporting Kyiv — 25 times he’s helped bundle $126 billion in military aid and search through inventories for the weapons Ukraine needs the most He’s done it when the Pentagon had full coffers Now he’s handing over control of that group to a team that may not want to maintain it Donald Trump will return to the White House having called for a swift end to the war in Ukraine European officials fear that message — and his nominee to replace Austin Fox News host Pete Hegseth — may signal an end to the group without a clear alternative “It’s clear that a new chapter starts for Europe and the entire world just 11 days from now when we have to cooperate even more,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy Austin came here with a further $500 million of military aid drawn down from American stocks a package that included air defense interceptors This final round of aid during the Biden administration brings its total security commitments to $66 billion nearly half of the total raised by the entire Ukraine group The Trump administration will now have $3.8 billion in authority to keep sending stocks but no money left to replace them — and none left in a separate fund to support Ukraine over the long-term Congress is not yet considering more funding for Ukraine defense leaders spent months without any money left for such aid while waiting for Congress to approve a supplemental defense bill Officials in the Pentagon and Europe later blamed that delay for Ukraine losing territory in the east told a group of reporters traveling with Austin that it took four to six months for Kyiv’s supply of weapons to dwindle last year He expects the supplies to last longer this time given the Biden team’s rush to send as much aid as it could before leaving office “They’ve got a pretty good tranche of things,” LaPlante said of the Ukrainians “I don’t think anyone has found a useful and fully adequate substitute for U.S. leadership,” a separate defense official told reporters. That leadership, the official argued, has been tied to Austin himself. He founded the group and, in the last few years, has convinced countries from Austria to Australia to share in its burden. Much of that success has come as a result of unity among the countries that have so often come to Ramstein, a unity threatened by Trump’s talk of seizing Greenland from Denmark, comments Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called “astonishing.” Notwithstanding, as Trump prepares to take office, European officials are repeating many of the incoming president’s longtime complaints — that Europe and NATO aren’t paying a fair share of their security bills. “The message is very clear for the European countries as well: to do more,” said Kaja Kallas, Europe’s top diplomat, who argued the European Union could take over the group’s role. Pistorius said in a press conference Thursday that he wouldn’t speculate on the incoming administration’s policies, but he plans to visit Washington before mid-February, where he hopes to meet with his new counterpart. “We think about options and alternatives, but the best solution would, in any case, be to continue the format,” he said. American and European officials now openly say the best Ukraine can hope for on the battlefield is to reach a stronger position for eventual peace talks with Russia. And while equipment always helps, it won’t solve a more pressing issue for Kyiv: a lack of manpower after sustaining nearly three years of casualties. In his opening remarks Thursday, Austin argued for a lasting commitment to keep up the support. If Russia sees the U.S. and its allies back away, he said, it will only grow more aggressive. “We must not stop now,” Austin said later in a press conference. “It would honestly be crazy to drop the ball now,” he said. Noah Robertson is the Pentagon reporter at Defense News. He previously covered national security for the Christian Science Monitor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and government from the College of William & Mary in his hometown of Williamsburg, Virginia. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feedDefense News © 2025 This work, 130th Airlift Wing deploys to support European Deterrence Initiative, by SSgt Alancea Grant, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright stance on Ukraine and President Trump's escalating trade war now jeopardize a crucial aspect of the alliance's airpower strategy as member countries indicate they could walk away from plans to purchase F-35 fighters "The F-35 is a really good plane that has best-in-class insurgency capabilities and low observability," says Richard Aboulafia The advantages for allies sharing the same aircraft design include a single communications platform common "hardpoints" for carrying NATO munitions the ease of training pilots and maintenance crews "It is easier to fight with allies when you use the same equipment," says former Texas Rep Mac Thornberry who was a key defender of the F-35 project while in Congress allies backing away from the F-35 "would be a further deterioration in the cohesiveness of NATO which is what our adversaries would like to see." said in a statement to NPR that it values its strong partnership with the Canadian Air Force and Portuguese Air Force but referred questions on foreign military sales to the U.S It has the additional advantages of being much cheaper to buy than the F-35 with lower operational and maintenance costs a former Defense Department official who is an associate professor at Georgia Tech's Sam Nunn School of International Affairs views the sudden uneasiness over the F-35s as a symptom of growing distrust within the alliance since Trump took office "I see it as a potential canary in the coal mine signaling a lack of confidence in the U.S.," she says the rumors likely show an absence of trust there's also the possibility that people are looking at this plane and saying but we're also concerned about them cutting off support in the event of some kind of conflict.' " Given the view in Europe that Trump is abandoning NATO in favor of the Kremlin in a hypothetical future conflict with Russia could cut off spare parts and updates for the F-35 Meanwhile, the F-35 — which the Government Accountability Office projects will cost the U.S more than $2 trillion throughout the program's lifespan — has also faced growing criticism at home some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35." Aboulafia calls Musk's assertion that the F-35 could be easily replaced by remotely piloted aircraft "a complete fantasy for so many different reasons," pointing out that Musk "used, as an example, a fleet of short-range quadcopters that would make it about 30 miles before falling out of the sky." Trump, in the past, has also been critical of the plane the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee has also called out the F-35 project for cost overruns He says of the plane: "It's like getting a quarterback in the NFL but you really hate to wind up overpaying for mediocrity." Smith says "it will make it harder if we're looking for partners in a fight and they don't have the same" platform president of the defense and security department of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) itself is rethinking the purchase of F-35s" due to "questions about whether the future is really unmanned and autonomous platforms." Would NATO be able to fight without the advantages inherent in operating a single type of aircraft such as the F-35 "It will have a negative impact," Georgia Tech's Kosal says "But it won't significantly degrade" capabilities Jones says the F-35 has "extraordinary capabilities" that would be difficult or impossible to replicate in existing aircraft "[It] has the ability to move inside of a Chinese or Russian anti-aircraft access denial bubble with stealth capabilities for both the collection of information as well as to fire" either conventional or nuclear munitions if NATO countries are now committed to spending more on defense — something Trump has long demanded — sourcing warplanes in Europe might make more sense to them which hasn't yet added any F-35s to its arsenal "If we start to see more of a European defense identity [it] may be a more logical decision … to pull something off of European production line Become an NPR sponsor your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt At today’s Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting in Ramstein German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has confirmed that Germany will continue its support for Ukraine even after the federal elections in February regardless of the outcome of the election on February 23" Speaking at a press conference after the meeting Pistorius highlighted Germany’s contribution to protecting the largest logistics hub supporting Ukraine we will deploy two Patriot missile units and a total of 200 soldiers to Poland" The Bundeswehr soldiers are expected to remain in Poland for six months as part of a NATO mission While Pistorius did not unveil a large-scale aid package for Ukraine he pledged to provide the Ukrainian armed forces with three additional IRIS-T SLM and SLS air defence systems He also intends to supply additional missiles for the IRIS-T systems in the near future These missiles are part of ongoing production and were originally allocated for the German Bundeswehr Another key topic at the meeting was the impending Trump presidency in the United States Pistorius emphasised the importance of continuing the Ukraine Contact Group meetings in Ramstein under Trump's leadership But whether these meetings will actually persist administration choose to discontinue the format "it will need to continue in another form" Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his expectations for the incoming U.S Zelenskyy also called for strengthened cooperation we enter a period where we must work more closely together and achieve better results as a team" he said during today's Ukraine Contact Group meeting Speaking on a podcast with Russian-American host Lex Fridman earlier this week Zelenskyy described Trump as a pivotal figure in the effort to stop Putin former Ukrainian Minister of Economic Development and president of the Kyiv School of Economics told Euronews he believed there will be a serious effort by the Trump administration to get a peace deal without selling out Ukraine "The aid will continue as a part of strengthening leverage over Putin and enforcement of the deal" the EU and Germany will at the same time have to step up after Trump assumes office: "Trump has made it clear that Ukraine is the EU's problem and Germany is the key power in the EU no matter how the local politics looks at the moment." The Huskies will take on Louisville at Ramstein Air Base on Nov UConn women’s basketball will begin its 2025-26 season overseas the Huskies announced that they will take on Louisville in the 2025 Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein Air Base in Ramstein-Miesenbach to support our armed forces,” head coach Geno Auriemma said in a release “I’m glad we’re getting the opportunity to go overseas and have many of our military members see us play in person I know it’ll be an experience of a lifetime for everyone in our program.” This is the 10th edition of the Armed Forces Classic but the first involving women’s teams UConn men’s basketball played in the inaugural event back in 2012 defeating Michigan State 66-62 at Ramstein Air Base Ramstein-Miesenbach is located in the west of Germany near the French border The Huskies and Cardinals are plenty familiar with each other as former Big East/AAC conference mates and now frequent non-conference opponents. UConn has a 19-3 edge all-time against Louisville, including an 88-62 win last season the teams seem to be making an effort to face each other anywhere except their home courts They’ll play in the Women’s Champions Classic on Dec 7 at the Barclays Center this year and then have the trip to Germany next year Assuming there’s no changes to the current schedule the Huskies will rack up the airline miles next season they will also head to the west coast to complete a home-and-home series with USC The acute lack of breakfast and coffee spots in the heart of Ramstein-Miesenbach went a long way toward being remedied with the 2024 opening of NEO Cafe Deli and already a table for breakfast or brunch there is hard to come by the phone starts ringing for reservations for the rest of the week who realized a longtime dream when she started the cafe with her sister NEO also offers various daily specials and homemade cakes a hearty sandwich on a sesame bagel with avocado It came with a side salad made with homemade dressing and topped with pomegranate seeds so I didn’t mind paying 14.90 euros for a sandwich the matcha latte with a generous slice of German bee sting cake — a layer cake made with vanilla cream and a crunchy honey-almond topping — made for a nice combination Luckily for procrastinators and late risers along with its bagel sandwiches and paninis Pancakes drizzled with pistachio cream and served with fresh fruit are among its most popular menu items other staples include a pistachio cream-filled croissant and a latte known as pistachio bliss the other green fruit well-represented on the menu it can be found in the aforementioned Neo favorite and the avocado lover The generous slices of the fruit itself in that bagel sandwich mingle with avocado cream and smoked salmon More than six months since the launch of the restaurant Cherdron and Di Fede said they are thrilled that their business idea has been so well-received by both Germans and Americans The sisters had long thought about running a cafe but it always seemed to be more of a pipe dream than something real That changed when the century-old house in the center of Ramstein village became vacant The place used to be a post office and a vaping lounge Other restaurants have come and gone from the location over the years When a friend recommended the sisters and their cafe idea to the owner of the building Cherdron and Di Fede were initially hesitant because the house needed a lot of work to be functional as a business again But the owner agreed to help with renovations There is a play area for small children at the cafe a one-family apartment the sisters own serves as a vacation rental or temporary lodging accommodation “We love it,” Cherdron said of the cafe while sitting at a table surrounded by big windows with a view of Ramstein village’s main street Prices: Breakfast ranges from 9.80 euros for a classic German breakfast with bread butter and jelly; to 14.20 euros for a larger meal that includes the classic items plus bacon Bagel sandwiches range from 14.90 to 16.20 euros Coffee and hot drinks start at 3 euros and go up to 5.50 euros Aperitif cocktails start at 4.70 euros for prossecco miol; a mimosa is 5.20 euros; the Aperol spritz Lillet wild berry and lavender spritz are 7 euros apiece Information: Phone: +49 6371-5975324; Instagram The day before two of my colleagues and I were set to visit Memory Burger in Ramstein-Miesenbach A fire broke out in the building that housed the restaurant which took over Benji’s Birdhouse’s former digs in April The blaze was controlled and the restaurant didn’t shut down After we brought up the fire at the end of the meal two workers asked whether the fire brought Memory Burger to our attention But tasting the food that mid-December evening didn’t spark a desire to return Memory Burger aims to combine “the elegance and sophistication of the Orient with the strength and creativity of the West” and to take patrons on “a journey through the flavors of Asia spiced with a fascination for the unknown.” as well as the mishmash of ingredients on the burgers The seemingly quirky combination of the cuisine is what drew me in and prompted an invitation for my colleagues to join me in trying it and the restaurant gave us the vegetarian to try as well who had been stationed in Japan previously said aficionados would spot them for impostors right away but we all agreed the chicken tasted better than the veggie but the mayonnaise base overwhelmed any taste of truffles We received a complimentary order of bruschetta and while I didn’t taste it because I didn’t care for many of its ingredients The only complaint: The bread could have been toasted a little better chicken and Beyond imitation meat — to get a good grasp of Memory Burger’s offerings The companion who ordered the Beyond burger praised the combination of sweet and salty between the cocktail sauce and the patty The bun-to-patty ratio was lopsided in favor of the bread which came with some not-so-classic twists She described it as having too much cocktail sauce and being way too sweet with pieces of mango that didn’t make sense for a regular burger I did anticipate mango on my Hawaii burger While not to the same extent as the Beyond burger the bun still was slightly too large for the patty the passion fruit sauce tasted too much like mayo although the other ingredients mixed well together The three of us agreed on a couple of positives tasted great and came with generous portions even with the employees preparing for a party of 70 coming the next day Experimentation and unique flavor profiles can help you stand out from the competition Memory Burger either goes too far in trying to distinguish itself or doesn’t quite pull off the execution The Ramstein-Miesenbach Memory Burger is the third of four in the area Prices: Burgers start at 9.90 euros and go up to 18.90 euros Appetizers range from 4.90 euros to 6.50 euros while bowls cost between 14.50 euros and 16.90 euros The Ramstein-Miesenbach Junction 13 on highway A6 will undergo extensive construction from Aug according to an 86th Airlift Wing statement through-traffic on the A6 will be largely unaffected by the construction work as it will be guided past the construction site in a two-lane configuration according to the German Highway Administration Phase One: Workers will begin securing the construction site in the direction of Kaiserslautern on Monday the junction in the direction of Kaiserslautern will be then be closed Traffic will be diverted via the Kaiserslautern-Einsiedlerhof Junction 14 Drivers using the L363 between Landstuhl and Ramstein will be redirected to the Landstuhl-West interchange to rejoin the A6 toward Kaiserslautern Significant delays are expected during peak traffic times workers will begin securing the worksite on the opposite side the closure will then affect traffic toward Saarbrücken Vehicles will be diverted through the Landstuhl-West interchange while L363 traffic will be routed to the Kaiserslautern-Einsiedlerhof junction Officials urged motorists to monitor traffic updates masked balls and elaborate parades are all part of Fasching festivities Commonly known as Mardi Gras in the States Fasching celebrates the few remaining days before the solemn season of Lent parades and parties are usually held on Rose Monday (Rosenmontag) or Shrove Tuesday Here are a few upcoming events for revelers wanting one last shot of indulgence and debauchery: Join the festivities of one of the oldest Fasching processions in Germany This lively parade winds its way through the charming streets of Nuremberg’s city center bands and raucous performers fill the streets of Mainz on Rosenmontag The highlight of the carnival season in Mainz the Rose Monday parade can take as long as five hours to pass through the streets Keep an eye out for sweets and other treats thrown into the festive crowds the Wiesbaden Carnival parade will kick off at precisely 1:11 p.m music and beautiful floats as they pass by The party continues long after the parade has finished 13 on the A6 toward Mannheim will reopen Monday crews will begin securing the worksite on the opposite side the closure will then affect traffic toward Saarbruecken The times are subject to suitable weather conditions and Die Autobahn advises drivers to pay attention to radio announcements to travel at times of low traffic where possible or to take expected disruptions into account when planning their route and allow appropriate time Germany — Ramstein Air Base and German police officials confirmed Monday that unauthorized drones have flown over the sprawling Air Force installation in recent days though details about the unmanned aircraft remain scarce and they have ranged in sizes and configurations,” the 86th Airlift Wing said in a statement Monday adding that there were “no impacts to base residents Wing officials said the small drones were spotted in early December and whether they know where the aircraft came from or who was operating them German news outlet Der Spiegel reported last week that the drones were seen over Ramstein in the evening hours of Dec The story cited a confidential report by German security authorities The drones flying over the base weren’t the usual commercial hobby aircraft Rheinland-Pfalz state police said in a statement following a Stars and Stripes query Monday The aircraft were first spotted flying over the site of chemical giant BASF in Ludwigshafen in late November said state police spokesman Bastian Kipping They were also seen flying over facilities belonging to the arms company Rheinmetall Drone flights were detected in the dark and around dusk who were unable to provide the number of drone flights due to varying reports The Rheinland-Pfalz office of criminal investigation has taken over the probe into the flights in coordination with federal authorities The flights follow reports of drone sightings around U.S military installations in the United Kingdom last month as well as dozens of similar incidents over parts of New Jersey and the East Coast in recent weeks drones were repeatedly spotted in the vicinity of RAF Lakenheath RAF Fairford and RAF Feltwell starting around Nov Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa said in a statement last month The unmanned aerial vehicles seen at those bases were different sizes and configurations and “none of the incursions impacted base residents facilities or assets,” the command said in a statement Nov USAFE-AFAFRICA and the 86th Airlift Wing said they wouldn’t disclose actions taken in response to the drone activity Most military commands rarely discuss measures involving force protection publicly The stateside drone sightings along the East Coast don’t appear to be a threat to public safety The Associated Press reported over the weekend are calling for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft Stars and Stripes reporter Marcus Kloeckner contributed to this report A new English-speaking church is ready to begin offering services at the end of this month in Ramstein-Miesenbach With four congregations of roughly 150 people the Kaiserslautern stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has been running out of space at their current meetinghouse in Kaiserslautern city Two years ago construction on an additional building in nearby Ramstein village to solve what many see as a “blessing of a problem.” While the Kaiserslautern-based congregations will continue to offer services in both English and German the new Ramstein meetinghouse is primarily focused on providing English- speaking services for the U.S an open house welcomed the public into the brand-new church facility the chapel is simply adorned and large enough to handle the growing congregations The building also has plenty of other spaces for classes and clubs plus a large multi-purpose room and kid’s area projects and activities for both families and single soldiers and airmen the building houses a Family History Center This genealogical research area provides free access to archival records and ancestry resources It is openly freely as a service to the public and the staff are able to help visitors in many different languages The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has an estimated 40,000 members in Germany The church operates worldwide without paid ministers visitors were invited to participate in an outreach program by putting together a small winter-necessities gift bag for local Ukrainian refugees The new building in Ramstein is located at Ludwig-Erhard-Straße 15 You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed "To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement" by Benjamin Nathans which covers dissent in the Soviet Union and Russia today Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 5 announced they had facilitated Russian journalist Ekaterina Barabash's escape from Russia to France after she fled house arrest on April 21  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 6:22 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." A Russian drone attack on Odesa Oblast on May 5 killed one and caused damage to local infrastructure "We appreciate that Germany plays a pivotal role in supporting Ukraine throughout the years of war Ukraine is also grateful for your personal commitment," President Volodymyr Zelensky said MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders by Martin Fornusek, The Kyiv Independent news deskPresident Volodymyr Zelensky takes part in the Ukraine Contact Group meeting at Ramstein Air Base on Sept (Andreas Arnold/dpa (Photo by Andreas Arnold/picture alliance via Getty Images)President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany on Sept 6 to take part in the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting amid Kyiv's calls for air defenses and long-range arms to fend off Russian aggression In a rare step, Ukraine's head of state is attending the 24th meeting in person to lobby for faster aid deliveries. The U.S.-led group, consisting of over 50 countries, including all 32 NATO members was set up to coordinate allied defense deliveries to Kyiv "We need our partners' determination and the means to stop Russia's aerial terror," Zelenskys aid on X "It is crucial that all the weapons from the already announced support packages finally reach the combat brigades We also need strong long-range decisions from our partners to bring closer the just peace we are striving for." The Ramstein meeting is taking place just as Russia is yet again ramping up aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities, underscoring Ukraine's need for faster air defense deliveries. Moscow's troops also continue their pressure in Donetsk Oblast, namely toward a key logistics hub of Pokrovsk It will be the first meeting in nearly three months Austin said that the meeting would address Ukraine's most urgent needs namely air defense capabilities to counter Russian drone and missile attacks Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q Zelensky thanked the partners for defense deliveries but stressed that many of the pledged anti-aircraft systems are yet to be provided along with the at least four already operating in Ukraine Zelensky also plans to push the allies to deliver more long-range arms Kyiv has said that Western restrictions on strikes within Russia and the insufficient supplies of long-range weapons hamper Ukraine's ability to strike back against Russian attacks "Russia's attempts to draw red lines simply do not work," Zelensky said during his opening remarks have maintained restrictions on the use of long-range weapons like ATACMS or Storm Shadow within Russia naming the fears of escalation as one of the key reasons "We need to have long-range capabilities.. so Russia is motivated to seek peace," he added Zelensky reminded that thanks to the partners' support Ukraine was able to carry out "important operations" in Crimea and elsewhere that helped to "restore security to the Black Sea and restart food exports." "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin who doesn't want peace...He wants our cities As the meeting took off, Austin also unveiled that the U.S. is set to announce a new $250 million defense aid package for Ukraine later on Sept "It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine's evolving requirements. And we’ll deliver them at the speed of war," Austin said. Another defense aid package, consisting of 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) worth over $213 million Zelensky is expected to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt am Main On Sept. 4, Scholz said that Germany ordered an additional 17 IRIS-T air defense systems for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported. By 2026, Ukraine should receive 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany — 12 of medium-range versions and 12 short-range. After his visit to Germany, Zelensky will head to Italy for the Ambrosetti International Economic Forum to meet with Italian business leaders and for talks with the country's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved The largest Fasching parade in the Westpfalz region is set to kick off Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in Ramstein village. The Westrich parade stretches over 1.5 miles and boasts more than 90 parade numbers, including festive floats and performance groups. Event organizers are expecting up to 15,000 spectators and encourage visitors to travel to the town center by bus or train due to limited parking availability. Several roads in the center of Ramstein will be blocked from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., including Bahnhofstrasse, Schulstrasse, Jahnstrasse, Lillenstrasse, Miesenbacher Strasse, portions of Landstuhler Strasse and Spesbacher Strasse. Event organizers will begin setting up barriers and roadblocks Tuesday morning and have advised residents of the town center not to park along sidewalks for the duration of the day. You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. Yulia Dysa in Gdansk writing by Alan Charlish; editing by Mark Heinrich Speed editor on the Berlin hub who provides general coverage on everything from politics to energy in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with the goal of getting the news out as quickly as possible. Miranda previously worked at the German press agency dpa and Chicago Tribune is the center of US Air Force operations across Europe and Africa and a critical NATO hub German security authorities reportedly flag numerous sightings over Ramstein and sensitive industry locations Unidentified drones have been sighted over sensitive industry locations at the US air base at Ramstein in Germany in recent weeks, the Spiegel news magazine reported on Friday, citing a confidential report by German security authorities. The report flagged numerous drone sightings made in the evening hours of 3 and 4 December over the air base, according to Spiegel. A security source told Reuters the report on drone sightings over Ramstein was correct. The German defence ministry declined to comment on the report. German intelligence chiefs have warned that the country’s support for Ukraine in its war with Russia makes it a target of possible sabotage attempts, with recent security incidents at military barracks raising alarm further. Read moreSpiegel also reported unexplained drone sightings over locations belonging to the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and the chemicals group BASF “The safety of BASF sites is our top priority,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement “We therefore keep an eye on suspicious activities at all times and work closely with the relevant security authorities.” Rheinmetall did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment the largest American military airfield outside the U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening a massive withdrawal of U.S accusing European countries of being «freeloaders.» What would happen to Ramstein without the Americans a visitor reaches a small village on a hill after about 30 minutes On the northern edge of this town is a viewing platform that offers an impressive view of world events as they unfold an observer could have watched from here as hundreds of thousands of soldiers and weapons were sent to Iraq a visitor might have tracked the evacuation planes day and night diplomats and defense ministers have been flying in from all over the world to discuss the war in Ukraine This viewing platform offers a direct view of Ramstein Air Base America's largest military airfield outside the United States The base serves as a hub for operations in Europe Africa and the Middle East and is of great geopolitical importance to both the U.S The Americans took over the facility during World War II and have been steadily expanding it since the 1950s Most people in Ramstein-Miesenbach and the surrounding communities grew up with Americans and celebrate the pre-Lent carnival together If the transatlantic partnership had a local pub the president is considering withdrawing 35,000 soldiers from Germany – almost the entire contingent stationed there Or are they actually looking forward to the day when the Americans have gone With its rundown houses and empty shop windows it is not one of Germany's prettiest towns It is known for a crooked street with many brothels The Hotel Christine is located on the main road a bar with old airplane propellers hanging from the ceiling he is loading ice cream freezers onto the back of his old Toyota pickup Teibel says he owes everything to the Americans «Almost all my guests come from the United States He flew congressmen and senators all over the world He doesn't think much of the current government «Trump has the mouth of an alligator and the ass of a hummingbird,» Teibel says he doesn't believe that Trump will carry out his threats «Otherwise I'd have to close down,» he adds his loud voice suddenly sounding less confident More than 50,000 soldiers and their families live around the air base in a small world of their own that has been created to cater to them Here they have access to their own fast food restaurants their own high schools and even their own shopping center thousands of civilian employees work on the air base or for it in one way or another The airport generates more than 2 billion euros in contracts Mair came to Ramstein from Scotland in 1987 although he initially keeps his original reasons to himself He tells us he got on the wrong bus in Glasgow one morning Mair is a sales staffer at Patriot Military Automobiles and according to the golden certificate behind his desk lettering on the wall reads: «Proudly serving those that serve.» the bestselling car at Mair's lot is the Volkswagen Golf They don't want to spend so much money,» he says But he predicts that conditions will eventually pick back up again from the fall of the Berlin Wall to the invasion of Iraq We walk down the street and meet Viktoria Veverka less than a hundred meters further on between a petrol station and a used-car dealer She is 31 years old and her hair is the same purple color as her e-cigarette She and her partner run the Crazy Chicken fast food restaurant «This place would collapse if the Americans weren't here,» says Veverka Where do the people of Ramstein get their confidence He strides into his office in the town hall a tall man with piercing blue eyes and an energy that suggests his coffee is being fed directly into his veins Then he has to get to a junior soccer team practice Hechler says he knows why no one here is very worried He jumps up and goes to a map hanging on the wall He points to a spot northeast of the air base The largest military hospital outside the U.S Homes and barracks for 2,000 new soldiers and their families are being built there Hechler sits down again and says: «What the U.S government is saying and what it is doing don't match.» The discussion about closing the airfield has been going on for decades Trump threatened to withdraw 12,000 soldiers even during his first term in office Now suddenly they are all to be withdrawn at once the civilian employees of the air base go on strike truck drivers and firefighters – around 1,000 employees in total – demonstrate on the streets of Kaiserslautern The reason: The Americans have imposed a job freeze and employees who retire will not be replaced Between 6% and 8% of jobs are to be cut each year But it turns out that the directive affects the entire U.S It is not a punishment specifically for Ramstein devised by the new secretary of defense a wood-paneled coffee shop near Ramstein's market square four women sit at a wooden table with a flowered tablecloth and drink coffee It's the biggest airfield outside the U.S.!» Bianca disagrees firmly She works in a restaurant and regularly serves American guests «The Americans really don't have it easy with that idiot.» to whom the others always listen attentively takes a more nuanced view: «Trump is often underestimated,» she warns Then she adds: «If the Americans really left perhaps rents would finally be affordable again.» Normal citizens have not been able to afford the prices here for a long time saying: «The apartments are now rented only to Americans But do they really want the Americans to leave Ramstein Without the Americans there would be no Ramstein While the demonstrators outside express their concerns about jobs and while an unpredictable president makes his threats in Washington the four women continue to sit in their cloud of tobacco smoke order another coffee and hope for the best WASHINGTON — US Central Command announced on Friday that F-16 fighter jets have arrived in the Middle East from Germany ahead of an impending Israeli strike on Iran “US Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base Germany arrive in the US Central Command area of responsibility,” CENTCOM wrote on X Friday CENTCOM did not specify the exact Middle East base or bases the F-16s had reached The nearest base to Israel is the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan's Azraq that has served as a main hub for US air force operations in the region Earlier this month, a squadron of US F-15s arrived at an undisclosed base advanced stealth F-22 Raptors and a number of US Navy ships already in the region.  The reinforcements have arrived as Israel prepares for its promised retaliatory attack in response to Iran’s Oct which came after the Israeli military's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan the Pentagon said on Thursday that the US State Department has approved a potential $440 million sale of TOW missiles to Saudi Arabia "The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing the strength of its homeland defense," the Pentagon’s statement read The Pentagon added that the sale "will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region." For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times This post is also available in: Spanish, Greek European demonstrators have gathered in a German city to demand the closure of the US military base at Ramstein Austria and France gathered in the southwestern German city of Kaiserslautern on Saturday to demand the closure of the US Air Force’s Ramstein air base and to call on Western countries to seek non-violent solutions to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine Protestor Mona Aranea said: “The permission that NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Alliance) states are giving to Ukraine to attack Russian targets in Russia with NATO weapons This permission is an escalation of the war It is not an escalation coming from Russia Protestor Pascal Luig said: “The big powers and the warring parties must now sit down at the negotiating table and resolve this conflict through diplomacy but they don’t communicate with each other [If this conflict is not resolved through negotiations,] it will continue to escalate and it will not stop is NATO’s largest airbase in Europe and also the force’s military base in Europe it plays a key role in relaying all drone signals to the United States Enter your e-mail address to subscribe to our daily news service Support our Peace and Nonviolence journalism with your donation PressenzaAn international news agency dedicated to news about peace and nonviolence with offices in Athens We use cookies to analyse our traffic and to embed third party content Germany — A body was found over the weekend near the Ramstein base passenger terminal The person was found dead at about 8:15 a.m Saturday near the long-term parking garage 86th Airlift Wing officials said in a statement is located behind the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center a high-traffic area that includes the Exchange The name of the person found dead won’t be released until 24 hours after next of kin have been notified This work, Ramstein Testing Office: Twice the capacity, twice the efficiency, by SSgt Isaac Olivera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright