President Zelenskyy and Western allies gathered in Germany for the final summit on Ukrainian aid before Donald Trump takes office. This meeting held significance as Trump has been critical of the US role in the conflict, casting uncertainty over future support for Ukraine. The summit was seen as a crucial push to secure continued aid, with officials emphasizing the importance of strengthening air defense systems and military support to fend off Russian aggression.

Western allies were scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Ramstein air base in southwestern Germany on Thursday.

Ahead of the gathering, Zelenskyy emphasized that the key priority was to continue bolstering air defense systems and ensuring that Russian military aviation was kept away from Ukrainian cities and borders. He shared his focus on this goal on X.

The meeting was particularly significant as it marked the final summit before US President-elect Donald Trump would return to the White House on January 20. It was considered an important moment to secure aid for Ukraine, given Trump's previous comments suggesting he might not show as much support for Kyiv as President Joe Biden has.

However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggested that allies should not assume Trump would abandon Ukraine. Instead, she said they should "expect Trump to balance diplomacy and deterrence" in the situation. Meloni had made a surprise visit to Trump's Mar-a-Lago property in Florida earlier that week.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was expected to announce a large new aid package during the summit. Under President Biden, the US has been Ukraine's largest financial supporter, providing $65 billion in funds and equipment.

While Trump has promised to swiftly end Russia’s war in Ukraine, he has not outlined specific policies to achieve this.

Secretary Austin stressed the importance of continued military aid, noting that the US has led the effort and should keep doing so as the conflict is far from over. "It's real important for the entire coalition to continue to provide military aid," Austin said upon arriving at Ramstein.

As the summit approached, Russia and Ukraine were engaged in increasingly intense drone strikes as both sides aimed to strengthen their military positions before the potential shift in US policy.

On Thursday, Russia was still battling a blaze at an oil depot in the Saratov region, which had been set alight by a Ukrainian strike the day before. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military reported shooting down 46 Russian drones overnight.

In the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, at least 133 people were reported killed after a Russian glide bomb attack.