On Tuesday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock became the first top foreign politician to make a surprise visit to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in the country’s northeast, not far from the Russian border. “Kharkiv – besieged, shot to pieces, liberated,” Baerbock declared upon their arrival. “This city is a symbol of the absolute madness of the Russian offensive war in Ukraine.”
At the invitation of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba, she wanted to get an idea of the situation on the ground, Baerbock said. And she especially wanted to “listen to the residents who are being hit so hard by the war in this bitterly cold winter, when the temperature drops to minus 15 degrees at night, that we can’t even imagine it,” she said. . Kuleba called her visit “symbolic.”
Multi-million dollar winter package for Ukraine
“It is important to me that we do not lose sight of Ukraine’s place in our European family, even in this winter of war,” Barbock said. She also has a winter package from Germany in her luggage, which includes generators to support the critical infrastructure.
In addition, Germany is giving 20 million euros to clear the area and another 20 million euros to stabilize the internet, the minister said at the end of her visit, which lasted several hours. Kharkiv reflects the horrors of war, “but also all the courage, resilience and with it the hope of a life in peace”.
Kiev insists on supplies with Leopard tanks
The minister stressed the importance of Ukrainian forces liberating more areas. Therefore, more weapons should be supplied. Kuleba said he had no doubts that Ukraine would also receive German Leopard-type main battle tanks. The tanks would be needed to liberate other areas from Russian occupation. “The federal government knows deep down that this is necessary.”
Kuleba warned that the longer this decision drags on, the more casualties will be among the civilian population. In general, however, he would like to thank the German government for the support already provided.
People without electricity, water and heating
Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine after Kiev and is only about 40 kilometers from the Russian border. After the outbreak of the Russian offensive war on February 24, the city, which originally had a population of about 1.5 million, came under repeated attack from the attackers. In many cases, the people there are without electricity, water and heating, about 500,000 are still in the city.
Source: Krone
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