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Nearly 50 nations convened in Brussels to bolster military aid for Ukraine, notably absent was the U.S. Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, marking the first time a Pentagon chief missed the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting since its inception three years ago. The UK and Germany co-chaired the meeting, focusing on increasing drone production and supplying more weapons and ammunition. Hegseth's absence fuels concerns among European allies about potential U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe and a weakening of U.S. global credibility. The war, now in its fourth year, has claimed over 12,000 civilian lives according to UN estimates, alongside tens of thousands of military casualties.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.