Pentagon chief to skip not only Ramstein meeting, but also Ukraine-NATO Council
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth will not attend the Ukraine-NATO Council meeting to be held as part of the meeting of Alliance defence ministers in Brussels.
Source: several independent European Pravda sources in Brussels
Details: Hegseth will attend the ministers' meeting on Thursday 3 June, but the United States will be represented at the Ukraine-NATO Council not by the minister, but by Ambassador Matthew Whitaker.
It became known earlier that Hegseth would not attend the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (Ramstein format) meeting at NATO headquarters on 4 June. The Pentagon explained that his participation was impossible due to his schedule.
It should be noted that the Ramstein meeting will take place on Wednesday, and the ministerial meeting on Thursday morning. The Ukraine-NATO Council will meet for a working lunch at noon, immediately after the ministerial meeting, so Hegseth will be in Brussels at the time of the Council meeting but will not attend the meeting with Ukraine.
Hegseth's place at Wednesday's meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group will also be taken by US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker.
The AP reported that Hegseth will arrive in Brussels late on Wednesday evening, when the Ramstein meeting will already be over.
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