BDuring the visit of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Kyiv, the Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked for German help, but also asked for more anti-aircraft weapons. The German aid is “great and historically important,” said Selenskyj after a conversation on Tuesday. He specifically mentioned the delivery of the first Iris-T anti-aircraft system from Germany. He hopes that more systems will come of it. This is “really a priority” for his country. Germany has promised a total of four Iris-T.
Zelenskyj also acknowledged Germany’s willingness to strengthen Ukraine’s energy system. Large parts of the electricity and district heating networks have been damaged by Russian missile attacks. In order to help Ukrainian municipalities through the upcoming winter, the presidents called for the rapid establishment of German-Ukrainian town twinning. Not a word was mentioned about a diplomatic rift between the presidents in the spring.
Steinmeier emphasized that he wanted to come to Kyiv precisely now in view of the “vile attacks” by Russia. He assured the Ukrainians: “We are on your side. We support you. We will continue to support you.” This applies economically, politically and militarily for as long as it is necessary. Steinmeier said to Selenskyj: “You are leading your country through this historic time in an impressive way.”
Arrival without public announcement
According to Ukrainian information, the state-of-the-art Iris-T air defense system has already proven itself in the first deployments. Steinmeier highlighted the military support for Ukraine. Today Germany is a leading outfitter for the Ukrainian air defense. The next Mars-II multiple rocket launchers and self-propelled howitzers should also soon be handed over to Ukraine.
Like other international guests, the Federal President came by train to Kyiv at night without any public announcement. At an appointment outside of the capital, he experienced the same thing as millions of Ukrainians: Because an air alarm was triggered in Koryukivka near the border with Belarus, he had to go to a bunker. There he heard from Mayor Ratan Akhmedov and residents of the small town what they had to endure in eight months of war.
“That gave us a particularly impressive understanding of the conditions under which people live here,” said the Federal President. The air alert was a situation that could not be ruled out during the visit. The people there would have to live with something like that every day.
Steinmeier and Selenskyj said they wanted to take over the patronage of a bilateral town twinning scheme. “Municipal partnerships offer a basis for lived solidarity in the face of war; they lay the foundation for a common future,” it said in a statement. “They are sending a clear signal to Moscow: Your war will not divide us – it will bring us even closer together as Germans, Ukrainians and as Europeans.”
It was Steinmeier’s third attempt to travel to the Ukraine. Last week it was postponed at short notice for security reasons. In mid-April he had to cancel a joint trip with the presidents of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia at the last minute. At the time, Kyiv signaled to Steinmeier that he was not welcome.
The former SPD foreign minister was criticized for his pro-Russian policies in Ukraine. He had ignored Eastern European warnings about Germany’s dependence on Russian energy supplies. The unloading was seen as an affront in Berlin. The situation only eased again after a telephone conversation between the presidents in early May.