German Foreign Minister Annalina Birbock arrived in Kyiv on an unannounced visit on Saturday, during which, according to her, she seeks to show Berlin’s firm support for Ukraine in the war that Russia has waged against the country.
“I went to Kyiv on Saturday to show that they can count on us. We will stand by Ukraine as long as necessary through the provision of arms and humanitarian and financial support,” he said in a statement.
This is the second visit of the German minister to Kyiv since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.
According to the minister’s statement, in addition to financial and military aid, Germany wants to support Kyiv in demining operations, “and to clarify the committed war crimes, especially by sending experts, including a prosecutor.”
He added: It is clear to me that Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, is counting on the fact that we will get tired of the suffering of Ukraine.
However, Germany stressed that it stands by the Ukrainians who are “fighting Russian aggression not to defend their human rights to peace and freedom, but to defend the peace of Europe.”
Germany’s position, which remained ambiguous after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine six months ago, and Berlin’s initial reluctance to offer military support to Kiev, angered the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, things got better after that. German Chancellor Olaf Schultz says he wants his country to take “special responsibility” to help Ukraine and strengthen its artillery and air defense capabilities.
It seems that a new and less tense era has begun in bilateral relations, marked by the arrival of the new Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin. His predecessor, Andriy Melnyk, has been highly critical of Germany’s stance toward Russia for months.
Source: Lebanon Debate
