The Free State of Bavaria is increasing its aid to Ukraine and wants to intensify cooperation with the country, also with a view to the post-war period. This was announced by Head of the State Chancellery Florian Herrmann (CSU) on Tuesday after a cabinet meeting in which Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko was involved. “We are close friends and we want to expand this friendship further,” Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) was quoted as saying from the conversation, which lasted about 45 minutes. “We have great respect, really great respect, for how you are mastering this difficult situation. The Ukrainian people are fighting incredibly bravely,” said Söder to Klitschko. “And we were ashamed that at the beginning there were people in Germany who asked Ukraine to capitulate.”
Herrmann said the cabinet was “impressed by Ukraine’s courage and willingness to defend itself”. The government condemned in the strongest possible terms the war of aggression and the illegal annexation of Crimea and other Ukrainian regions, as well as Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on the civilian population. They advocate “rapid and comprehensive military support for Ukraine to ward off Russian aggression”. Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr (FW) said that Klitschko, who is known as a giant boxer, seemed “emaciated” to him, “concerned for his people and his city”.
In December, the cabinet decided on direct aid of five million euros. According to Herrmann, emergency power generators, warm-up tents, tank systems and fire engines could be supplied from this. This budget is now to be increased to ten million euros; vehicles, telecommunications or tools are currently needed. In addition, Bavaria intends to further expand its office in Kiev, which has been in existence since 2018 and is one of Bavaria’s many representative offices around the world. The office, which currently has two full positions, is to be reinforced with additional local staff and, in addition to the central government, will in future be the contact for the regions. It also provides the state government with reports on the development of the situation and “well thought-out statements”.
An important contribution of the Free State is the admission of families who have fled Ukraine. 157,000 people have come since February 2022, some of whom may have gone back or moved on. There is no precise follow-up, Herrmann explained. The total number in Bavaria is higher than in all of France. About 42,000 people are quartered in government accommodation – which still testifies to a high level of acceptance by Ukrainian compatriots or good accommodation on the housing market. Social Affairs Minister Ulrike Scharf (CSU) reported from the helpline in her home in her native language. In the meantime there have been 27,000 advice contacts, the hotline “still doesn’t stand still”, receiving 80 to 100 calls a day. Questions often arise about how to learn and work in the German language. According to this, 23,000 Ukrainian refugees in Bavaria already have an employment contract that is subject to social security contributions.