German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived in Ukraine on Tuesday for a surprise visit. He arrived in the morning by train in the capital Kiev. Upon his arrival in Kiev on Tuesday morning, he said: “My message to the Ukrainians is: we are not on your side alone. We will continue to support Ukraine – economically, politically and militarily.”
He is in Ukraine for the first time since the start of the war on February 24. It is already the third attempt by the German Federal President to travel there. This was postponed at short notice for security reasons last week. In Kiev, he will also meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later in the day. At other stations, Steinmeier wants to get an overview of the devastation caused by the Russian attacks.
His message to the Germans at home was: “Let’s not forget what this war means to the people here in Ukraine, how much suffering, how much destruction there is. The people of Ukraine need us.”
Steinmeier praised the courage and inflexibility of the Ukrainians
“It was important for me to send a sign of solidarity to the Ukrainians, especially now at this stage of air strikes with drones, cruise missiles and missiles,” Steinmeier said, referring to his trip. “Like many Germans, I look at the people here in Ukraine with admiration. For their courage, for their inflexibility, which they show not only at the front, but also in the cities that are being shelled, and also in the countryside.
Kiev canceled visits in April
In fact, Steinmeier wanted to travel to Kiev in mid-April – together with the presidents of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The initiative for this came from the Polish President Andrzej Duda. Just before the start there was a cancellation for Steinmeier from Kiev. The discharge was seen in Berlin as an unprecedented diplomatic and political insult. The situation only eased after a phone call between the two presidents in early May.
According to the cabinet of the Federal President, Steinmeier and Selenskyj now want to make a joint appeal to German cities and municipalities to enter into new partnerships with Ukrainian municipalities in the short term and help the people there through the winter. These are particularly affected by the destruction of energy infrastructure as a result of the recent Russian drone and missile attacks.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
