The politician’s visit was postponed twice: in April, the Ukrainian authorities did not want to see him, and on October 20, the trip was canceled for security reasons due to shelling of Kyiv.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived on an official visit to Kyiv. This is his first trip to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion of Russia. This is reported by the German publication DW.
After arriving in the capital, Steinmeier addressed the Ukrainians and stated that Germany would support Ukraine economically, politically and militarily. He also delivered a message to the Germans and said that Ukrainians need help.
‘Let’s not forget what this war means for people here in Ukraine. How much suffering, how much destruction. People in Ukraine need us,’ he urged.
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany also noted that it was important for him to send a signal of solidarity to the Ukrainians against the backdrop of Russia’s intense shelling of Ukraine’s territory with drones, cruise missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier was supposed to come to Ukraine on October 20, but the visit was canceled for security reasons due to the bombardment of Kyiv with missiles and drones. Security authorities and the German Foreign Ministry advised him not to go, but the visit was soon postponed.
However, other leaders continued to visit Kyiv. For example, Swiss President Ignazio Cassi visited the Ukrainian capital on the same day that the German President was supposed to be there.
An unsuccessful trip in April
On April 12, it became known that Steinmeier was ready to go to Kyiv with the delegations of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, but the Ukrainian authorities considered his presence undesirable. Journalists wrote that this is connected with his close relations with Russia in recent years.
Against the background of such news, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that he has no intention of visiting Ukraine until the President of Germany is received there. After that, Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Frank-Walter Steinmeier held a telephone conversation, during which they agreed to leave the past behind and focus on future cooperation.
