Kiev – The Russian army is moving closer to the Ukrainian border – and the mood between Germany and Ukraine is getting icy.
A meeting scheduled for today (Tuesday) between President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (41) has been cancelled. For reasons of timing, as it is officially called.
But: In truth, the Ukrainians are said to be angry about the German attitude to the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. CNN anchorman Jake Tapper claims to have learned this from a “source close to the Ukrainian government,” as he spreads on Twitter.
President Zelensky canceled today’s meeting with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock because she refused to declare “that Germany would give up the Nord Stream 2 pipeline (…) in the event of a Russian invasion”.
Germany’s refusal to deliver arms to Ukraine is also causing ongoing resentment. Shortly before Baerbock’s trip, Ukraine had officially submitted a list of weapon requests to the federal government. In it, Kiev is asking for medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems, man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, anti-drone guns, microwave destruction systems, electronic tracking systems, night vision goggles, surveillance cameras and ammunition.
So far, Germany has only guaranteed the delivery of 5,000 helmets.
There was no error in the Ukrainian president’s scheduling – “it was on purpose,” the CNN man quoted his source as saying.
And further: “Germany is increasingly seen by many in Eastern Europe and Kiev more as a Russian ally than as a Western ally.”
Annalena Baerbock met Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal on Monday. An originally planned meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky did not take placePhoto: UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENTAL PRESS SERVICE/via REUTERS
Foreign Minister Baerbock is in Ukraine for two days. On Monday, after a meeting with her Ukrainian colleague Dmytro Kuleba, she said: “We will do everything to ensure that there will be no further escalation.” Because: “There is currently nothing less at stake than peace in Europe,” said she. “In this extremely dangerous situation, our greatest strength is our unity.”
Today, Tuesday, Baerbock wants to travel to the east of the country, where she wants to visit the front line between Ukrainian government troops and the Russian-backed separatists in the Donbass conflict zone.