The year 2025 is “critical” for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s invasion, said UK Defense Secretary John Healey during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Ramstein format at NATO headquarters in Brussels, The Telegraph reports.

“2025 is the critical year for the war in Ukraine, and this is the critical moment.

A moment for our defence industries to step up, and they are; a moment for our militaries to step up, and they are; a moment for our governments to step up, and they are,” Healey stated.

The British minister emphasized that allies are sending a clear message to Ukraine that “we stand with you in the fight and we will stand with you in the peace.” 

Opening the session at the NATO Headquarters, Healey added that “Today, at this Ukraine Contact Group, we step up our support for Ukraine in the fight.”

“Our job as defence ministers is to get urgent military aid into the hands of Ukrainian warfighters. All military aid now will help Ukraine in the fight today and help secure a durable peace tomorrow, because the Ukrainian armed forces must be their own strongest deterrent against further Russian attacks,” Healey claimed. 

Earlier, Agence France-Presse reported that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth would join the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting via video conference in the Ramstein format.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the meeting would focus on the provision of additional Patriot air defense systems, new defense packages, and the potential for countries to establish weapons production facilities in Ukraine.